Bolivia's Deforestation: What Animals Have Gone Extinct?

Deforestation in Bolivia is a pressing issue that has led to a significant loss of forest cover and threatened the country's rich biodiversity. Between 1976 and 2021, Bolivia lost 8.6 million hectares of its forests, an area equivalent to the size of Austria. This deforestation is driven by cattle ranching, soy production, and agricultural expansion, with fires and illegal logging also playing a significant role. The loss of forest cover has direct implications for the country's wildlife, indigenous communities, and water sources. While it is challenging to determine if any animal species have gone extinct specifically due to deforestation in Bolivia, the decline in habitat availability and the introduction of new threats have undoubtedly impacted the region's biodiversity.

The jaguar population has declined due to agricultural expansion

The jaguar (Panthera onca) is the biggest cat species in the Americas and the third-largest in the world. It is a keystone species, playing a crucial role in stabilizing ecosystems and regulating prey populations.

Jaguars are particularly susceptible to population decline and local extinction as a result of habitat loss. In the eastern lowlands of Bolivia, massive deforestation has reduced the proportion of dense forest cover, shrinking the availability of suitable jaguar habitat. This has placed the resident jaguar population at risk, with few to no jaguar captures occurring in pastures used for livestock.

The protection of jaguars is crucial, as they play an important role in sustaining balanced ecosystems. Conservation efforts are focused on preserving intact forest patches and connecting corridors between protected areas to maintain wildlife in fragmented regions. However, the Bolivian government has bolstered the agricultural industry, which has further contributed to deforestation and the decline of the jaguar population.

Fires have caused the loss of 8.6 million hectares of forest

Bolivia's forests are facing a crisis. In 2022, the country lost almost 596,000 hectares of forest, the highest amount on record and almost double the amount during the Morales presidency. This figure is part of an alarming trend that has seen annual losses almost double in recent years. Deforestation in Bolivia increased by 32% from 2021 to 2022, and the country has seen a 259% increase in deforestation rates over the last eight years.

Fires have been a significant driver of this loss. Large forest fires are now an annual occurrence in Bolivia, fuelled by the deforestation linked to the country's booming agribusiness. In September 2022, community leader Rubén Darío Arias witnessed a map of eastern Bolivia covered in red spots, indicating forest fires breaking out across the region.

The agricultural industry is the leading cause of deforestation in Bolivia, and soy farming is the most significant driver. In 2022, soy and its derivatives were Bolivia's third-largest export, generating over $2 billion in revenue. The expansion of soy plantations to meet growing demand for livestock feed has resulted in the clearing of vast areas of forest. Between 2020 and 2021, soy production in Bolivia was linked to the deforestation of over 105,600 hectares of native vegetation.

The eastern department of Santa Cruz, home to most of Bolivia's soy production, has been the centre of deforestation. The region is also home to the Chiquitano dry forest, a rich biome that includes maned wolves, giant otters, and armadillos. Almost 19% of deforestation in the Chiquitano is due to soy expansion.

The Bolivian government's policies have exacerbated the problem. The government has encouraged the expansion of soy plantations by increasing export quotas and changing land assignments to allow agriculture. Additionally, the government has pardoned illegal deforestation and imposed negligible fines, creating an environment where deforestation can occur with little consequence.

The future of Bolivia's forests looks bleak unless significant changes are made. The country's current development agenda prioritises economic growth over environmental protection, and there is widespread support for expanding the agricultural frontier, even among political parties. Without concerted action, Bolivia could lose another 10% of its forests by 2035, pushing its ecosystems closer to a potential tipping point.

The Bolivian government encourages deforestation

Deforestation in Bolivia has increased by 259% over the last eight years, with the country losing almost 596,000 hectares of forest in 2022 alone. The primary driver of this deforestation is agricultural expansion, particularly the proliferation of surfaces for cattle ranching and soy production. While there are economic factors at play, the Bolivian government's policies and encouragement of deforestation play a significant role in this crisis.

The Bolivian government, under President Luis Arce, has demonstrated a strong focus on economic development, which has contributed to the encouragement of deforestation. The government has implemented policies that create a favourable regulatory framework for agricultural expansion, especially for soy plantations. This includes increasing soy export quotas and changing land assignments to allow agriculture in certain forest areas, such as in the department of Beni. The government has also granted a growing number of permits for deforestation and has even approved deforestation that occurred without the necessary permits. This lack of enforcement and the negligible fines for illegal deforestation, just US$0.2 per hectare, send a clear message that the preservation of forests is not a priority.

Additionally, the government has launched a programme to develop biofuels, investing US$700 million. This initiative has the potential to significantly increase the demand for soy, further driving deforestation. The government's actions directly contradict its commitment to the Rights of Mother Earth Law and reflect a lack of concrete plans to safeguard the environment.

The Bolivian government's encouragement of deforestation can also be attributed to its need to address food insecurity and a struggling economy. By prioritising short-term economic gains over environmental protection, the government contributes to the country's forests approaching a potential tipping point.

Furthermore, the government has failed to introduce effective land-use governance systems and due diligence requirements for soy traders. Without these measures in place, illegal deforestation and the sourcing of soy from deforested areas can continue unchecked.

The Bolivian government's actions, or lack thereof, have serious consequences for the environment and local communities. Deforestation leads to biodiversity loss, soil degradation, air and water quality degradation, and the introduction of new pests. It also directly affects the indigenous communities who rely on the forests for their survival.

The Mennonites are one of the three key players in the deforestation process

Mennonites are a religious group that first began settling in Bolivia in the 1950s, mainly in the department of Santa Cruz. They number around 150,000 in Bolivia today, with over 100 colonies, almost all of which are dedicated to soybean production. Mennonites have been responsible for a significant amount of deforestation in the country, particularly in the southern Amazon region. Between 2001 and 2021, they caused the deforestation of 210,980 hectares (521,344 acres) for soy expansion in the Bolivian Amazon, which accounts for 23% of the total soybean-related deforestation in Bolivia over the past 20 years. This has peaked in recent years, with 33% of soybean-related deforestation in the past five years being attributed to Mennonites.

Mennonite colonies are highly organized and connected agricultural plots that have been created following deforestation events. They have been able to acquire land in Bolivia legally, as there is no limit on the amount of land a foreign resident can own, and they have learned to navigate the country's land purchasing system efficiently. As their communities expand, so do their crop fields, which has put pressure on Indigenous Territories and other protected areas in Santa Cruz. Mennonites have also been accused of disguising themselves as traditional, small-scale farmers to obtain rights to land that would typically be denied to large-scale agricultural operations.

The impact of Mennonite activity in Bolivia has been significant. They have contributed to the disappearance of Concepción Lake in the Laguna Concepción Municipal Protected Area, for example, by constructing canals that drained the lake to irrigate their crops. This has not only affected the lake but also the surrounding ecosystem, as the canals transported pollutants from fields to the lake bed.

The expansion of Mennonite farmland in Bolivia has divided the country. On one side are those who argue that Mennonite exports are beneficial to the economy, while on the other are small-scale farming unions, Indigenous alliances, and environmental organizations that accuse Mennonites of encroaching on land belonging to Indigenous and small farmers, as well as causing vast deforestation and damage to habitats.

The country's development agenda is prioritized over its commitment to protect its forests

Deforestation in Bolivia has reached record levels, with the country losing more primary forest in 2022 than any previous year. This is due to a combination of political and economic factors, with the country's development agenda prioritized over its commitment to protect its forests.

Politically, the Bolivian government has encouraged the expansion of soy plantations to meet growing export demands by creating a favorable regulatory framework. They have increased soy export quotas and changed land assignments to allow agriculture in certain areas. The government has also granted a growing number of permits for land to be deforested for soy production and has approved deforestation that took place without a permit. Furthermore, illegal deforestation is rarely penalized, and when it is, the fines are negligible compared to other countries.

Economically, the soy sector in Bolivia is much less productive than in other countries. Soy yields in Bolivia are around 2-2.3 tonnes per hectare, while in Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay, they are between 2.7 and 3.5 tonnes per hectare. This means that more land is needed to produce soy in Bolivia, leading to increased deforestation. Loans from Bolivian banks are readily available to finance the expansion of soy production, and land speculation also drives deforestation as a way to secure land tenure.

The government's focus on economic development and the lack of pressure from consumers demanding deforestation-free products have resulted in a lack of action to end deforestation and transition to sustainable agriculture. Bolivia did not sign the Glasgow Leader's Declaration on Forests and Land Use to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030. While the country has set explicit deforestation targets through its Nationally Determined Contributions under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the upward trend in deforestation calls into question the feasibility of these targets.

The consequences of deforestation are already being felt in Bolivia, particularly in the Santa Cruz region, where most of the country's soy production is located. The Chiquitanía, a dry forest ecosystem that is part of the Amazon watershed, has lost almost a quarter of its trees since 1985. The expansion of agriculture has also led to drought, degraded soil, displaced communities, and more frequent and intense forest fires.

Despite the environmental impacts, there is deep support throughout Santa Cruz for expanding the agricultural frontier, and the government has big plans for the sector. They aim to produce palm oil, boost beef exports to China, and build biodiesel refineries. However, without concerted action, another 10% of Bolivia's forests could be lost by 2035.

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