Dowara Kanda Tech Uyapï: Preserving Leco Indigenous Culture and Key Ecosystems in Bolivia

Andes Amazon Fund applauds the creation of the Dowara Kanda Tech Uyapï municipal conservation area in Bolivia. Spanning 61,168 acres (24,754 ha), the new conservation area represents a major victory for the Leco people, an Indigenous ethnicity with roots in the western Bolivian Amazon. The Leco people have fought for years to gain stronger legal protections for their territories, as well as the ability to use and preserve their forests and waterways in accordance with their traditions, which are harmonious with the goals of the protected area.

Living Waters and Forests

The new municipal conservation area is located in the department of La Paz, and lies within the Original Community Territory (TCO using the Spanish acronym) Larecaja Pilcol, which is home to several Leco communities. The name of the conservation area, “Dowara Kanda Tech Uyapï”, is in the Leco language, and translates to “Living Waters and Forests of Uyapï”. 

Indeed, the waters and forests of the new conservation area are full of life. In the Teoponte municipality alone, which hosts Dowara Kanda Tech Uyapï, two thirds of the land is forested. The landscapes are blanketed in primarily Amazonian submontane and montane forest, as well as Yungas cloud forests. The Bolivian Yungas is an ecoregion that acts as an important water collector— the lush, broad-leafed vegetation captures humidity from the clouds via condensation on leaves (a phenomenon known as horizontal rain). This moisture captured by the Yungas integrates large amounts of water into the ecosystem, providing a complex hydrologic system which the Leco people depend on for their livelihoods, as well as for their fishing and river-based transportation.

Extending a Corridor For Biodiversity

The humid Amazonian and Yungas forests of the Dowara Kanda Tech Uyapï are home to hundreds of species of flora and fauna, including the critically endangered Emmel’s ground snake (Atractus emmeli), and vulnerable species like the military macaw (Ara militaris) and giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla). However, the area’s importance for biodiversity extends for millions of acres beyond its legal boundaries. 

The new municipal conservation area adds to a crucial conservation corridor, Vilcabamba – Amboró, which stretches throughout northwestern Bolivia and into Peru. Dowara Kanda Tech Uyapï connects to an ever-growing number of conservation areas, including the nearby Mayaya de Teoponte municipal conservation area, and Madidi National Park, which is considered one of the country’s most important protected areas. This conservation corridor contributes to the protection of emblematic species that require extensive habitats, including the jaguar (Panthera onca), puma (Puma concolor) and South American tapir (Tapirus terrestris). 

Looking Forward: Joining Forces for Cultural and Ecological Preservation 

The Leco people have a rich culture and way of life, interwoven with the forests and rivers of their surroundings. However, like many Indigenous communities in this part of the Amazon, their livelihoods, health, and territories have faced encroachment from gold mining operations. This conservation area is a critical first step towards turning back the tide of illegal activities. 

The preservation of their environment has become a bastion for the continuity of traditions, ancestral knowledge and ways of life, ensuring well-being is rooted in the essence of the Leco community.

Darly Pantoja, Natura Bolivia Foundation

Establishing the conservation area, however, is only the first step. Iván Riveros, Sub Coordinator of the North Paceño-Yungas Region for the Natura Bolivia Foundation, explains: “Among the immediate actions that must be carried out is the creation of the management plan…, as well as the formation of a management committee– actions that contribute to the conservation of the forest, biodiversity, and especially the water recharge sites of this region.”

Other plans for Dowara Kanda Tech Uyapï include creating signage to delineate the area, securing the zones for strict protection and defining other areas where traditional farming practices are permitted, developing plans for ecotourism, and preserving the cultural heritage of the Leco people.

Acknowledgments

The creation of the Dowara Kanda Tech Uyapï municipal conservation area was the result of a years-long collaborative effort between the community leaders of Larecaja and PILCOL, the Autonomous Municipal Government of Teoponte, and the NGO Natura Bolivia Foundation. Andes Amazon Fund’s financial support for this project was generously provided by the Wyss Foundation and by Art into Acres in partnership with Re:wild.

Learn more (en español) from our partners at Natura Bolivia Foundation.