In May 2024, Conservation Strategy Fund (CSF), in collaboration with WWF, SERNAP (Bolivia’s National Service of Protected Areas), and FUNDESNAP, launched a project to identify sustainable financing mechanisms for Bolivia’s national protected areas. This initiative addresses the significant financial gap faced by SERNAP, aiming to secure $7 million annually to ensure the long-term conservation and management of these areas. The project seeks to strengthen the sustainability of national protected areas, which provide critical environmental services benefiting the Bolivian population.
CSF played a key role in identifying and analyzing over 20 financing mechanisms, assessing their legal, administrative, and financial feasibility. Eight were analyzed in depth, with four selected for critical path implementation. Key activities included stakeholder workshops to validate findings and the creation of the “Passport for the Conservation of Bolivia’s Protected Areas,” an innovative fundraising tool that engages the public.
The project has achieved several tangible outputs. These include a web platform for the passport program, the design of a comprehensive integrated system for managing the passport for conservation; the creation of promotional materials; and the printing of 20,000 passports.
Implementing these mechanisms will enhance financial sustainability for protected areas while increasing public engagement in conservation. The funds raised will directly improve the management and preservation of Bolivia’s national protected areas, indirectly supporting biodiversity and essential environmental services for all Bolivians.
The broader goal of this initiative is to bridge the financial gap in national protected area management while promoting sustainable development. By ensuring economic sustainability for these critical ecosystems, the project contributes to global biodiversity conservation goals and climate change mitigation efforts. This work highlights how innovative financing solutions can align conservation priorities with national development objectives.
The project showcases how innovative financing can align conservation priorities with national development. Its success highlights the power of multi-stakeholder partnerships in tackling environmental challenges and serves as a model for other countries seeking sustainable approaches to financing conservation efforts.
This project is supported by World Wildlife Fund WWF, in partnership with SERNAP (Bolivia’s National Service of Protected Areas), and FUNDESNAP.
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