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| Forest Resources |
| Distribution
The natural forests of Bolivia cover an
area of approximately 53 million hectares, representing 48% of the country’s surface,
most of which are concentrated in the eastern part (Santa Cruz, Beni, La Paz and Pando).
This forest area represent almost 10% of the tropical rain forests existing in South
America.
Besides the natural forests, Bolivia has
30,000 hectares of forest plantation.
Producing Regions
There are 6 major producing forest regions in Bolivia (Bajo
Paraguá, Chiquitanía, Choré, Guarayos, Preandino-amazónico and Amazonía), giving a
total surface area of approximately 29 million hectares (see figure 02).
Figura 02
– Main Producing Forest Regions in Bolivia
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The main timber stocks are
found in the Amazonía, Choré and Preandino-amazónico as shown in table 01. |
Table 01 - Producing Forest Regions in
Bolivia and Existing Timber Stocks
PRODUCING REGION |
AREA |
VOLUME (m3/ha)(1) |
MILLION
ha |
% |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
TOTAL |
Bajo Paraguá |
3.8 |
13 |
1.20 |
16.84 |
9.67 |
6.30 |
11.17 |
5.71 |
50.89 |
Chiquitanía |
6.3 |
22 |
3.55 |
23.63 |
7.92 |
0.64 |
7.20 |
0.45 |
43.39 |
Choré |
1.6 |
6 |
0.68 |
43.55 |
18.81 |
12.79 |
8.35 |
4.34 |
88.52 |
Guarayos |
4.2 |
15 |
0.45 |
24.99 |
10.42 |
3.03 |
6.04 |
2.23 |
47.16 |
Preandino-amazónico |
4.1 |
14 |
2.18 |
30.62 |
14.76 |
7.77 |
15.77 |
5.99 |
77.09 |
Amazonía |
8.8 |
30 |
2.13 |
21.92 |
16.70 |
14.45 |
33.72 |
26.62 |
115.54 |
TOTAL |
28.8 |
100 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
(1) DBH
(Diameter at Breast Height) ³ 20 cm
OBS: 1 – Most valued species 2 – Valued species 3 – Little valued species
4 – Species with potential 5 – Species with unknown value 6 – Non-timber
species
Source: Forestry Superintendence, adapted by STCP |
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| Producing Forest
Areas
Before the new Forest Law (1996) there were
about 22 million hectares of producing forests. With the adoption of the new law, the area
was reduced to about 5 million hectares, and has remained of this level until now (see
figure 03).
Figura 03 - Producing Forest Areas
in Bolivia
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Prior
to the adoption of the new Forest Law, forest operation in Bolivia were mostly based on
selective logging of a few species (Mahogany, Cedro and Roble), demanding extensive forest
areas. The strong reduction in forest area was partly a result of economic implications of
new forest low, but other internal factors such as lack of technical flexibility, of
policies to capture investments and incentives, of legal security, as well as external
factors such as lack of competitiveness also
contributed.
Bosques Certificados
A pesar de que la nueva Ley Forestal ha contribuido de
cierta forma para la disminución de las áreas de concesión forestal, esta misma ley
favoreció el incremento en área de los bosques certificados en el país (ver figura 04).
Prior to the adoption of the new Forest
Law, forest operation in Bolivia were mostly based on selective logging of a few species
(Mahogany, Cedro and Roble), demanding extensive forest areas. The strong reduction in
forest area was partly a result of economic implications of new forest low, but other
internal factors such as lack of technical flexibility, of policies to capture investments
and incentives, of legal security, as well as external factors such as lack of
competitiveness also
contributed.
Certified
Forests
In spite of the new Forest Law having
contributed in a certain way to the reduction of the forest concession areas, this same
law favored forest certification (see figure 04).
FIGURA 04 - Tropical Rain Forest
Areas Certified in Bolivia
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* Projection considering
the areas in the process of being certified
Source: CIMAR/Smartwood |
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| Bolivia has 700 thousand hectares of certified
tropical rain forest, responding for more than 10% of the existing producing forests in
the country at this moment. Such a fact puts Bolivia in first place in the world in the
area of certified tropical rain forest, internationally guaranteeing the sustainability of
the country’s forest resources, as well as opening up new business perspectives. Timber Production (Logs)
The production of logs during the 90’s remained
relatively stable (see
figure 05). This partly shows the problems faced by the forestry sector along the period.
Figure 05 - Timber Production (logs) in Bolivia
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* Estimated production
** Preliminary data
Source: CFB and Forestry Superintendence |
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Based on official
information, current log production in Bolivia is in the order of 500 thousand m3/year.
The Province of Santa Cruz is the main producer, followed by Beni, Cochabamba and Pando.
As can be observed in table 02, the
situation has changed after the new law. In 1995, 5 species were responsible for 56% of
total harvested volume. At moment the 5 most important species are responsible for 43%,
and on total over 200 species are used. This represents an improvement, but in any case
harvesting is still centered on a few species. |
Table 02 – Share of Species in
Timber Production (logs)
1995 |
1999 |
SPECIE |
% |
SPECIE |
% |
| Mahogany |
16 |
Ochoó |
15 |
| Ochoó |
15 |
Cedro |
11 |
| Roble |
14 |
Roble |
7 |
| Yesquero |
6 |
Cambará |
5 |
| Serebó |
5 |
Yesquero |
5 |
SUBTOTAL |
56 |
SUBTOTAL |
43 |
| Other (121 species) |
44 |
Other (200 species) |
57 |
TOTAL |
100 |
TOTAL |
100 |
Source: CDF/UTD, CFB and Forestry
Superintendence, adapted by STCP |
| It is believed that in the next few years due
to the efforts by the producers in developing alternative species, the share of less known
species should grow substantially. |
| Sustained Timber
Production Potential
The Bolivian forest resources with
commercial potential are very large. Bolivia has an estimated timber stock of 317 million
m3 (see table 03). |
Table 03 – Sustained Timber (logs)
Production Potential in Bolivia
PRODUCING
REGION |
AREA
(million ha) |
STOCKS
(m3/ha)(1) |
TOTAL
STOCKS (million m3) |
MAI(2)
(m3/ha/year) |
SUSTAINED
PRODUCTION
(million m3/year) |
Bajo Paraguá |
2.7 |
11.4 |
30.8 |
1.0 |
2.7 |
Chiquitanía |
4.4 |
14.8 |
65.1 |
1.0 |
4.4 |
Choré |
1.1 |
25.0 |
27.5 |
1.0 |
1.1 |
Guarayos |
2.9 |
14.7 |
42.6 |
1.0 |
2.9 |
Preandean
Amazon |
2.8 |
20.4 |
57.1 |
1.0 |
2.8 |
Amazon |
6.1 |
15.4 |
93.9 |
1.0 |
6.1 |
TOTAL |
20.0 |
15.9 |
317.0 |
- |
20.0 |
|
(1)
Major commercial species
(1) Mean Annual Increment
Prepared by STCP
It is
estimated that the sustained production capacity of the Bolivian forests is in the order
of 20 million m3/year. This indicates a very significant production potential,
almost 40 times higher than the official production data (1999), and
also greater than current utilization and transformation capacity. Based on ITTO
data, this potential represents 18% of current world production of tropical wood as logs.
The Bolivian forest resources are a not limiting factor for
the development of the country’s forestry sector.
Access to Forest Resources
Access to forest resources in Bolivia are
well covered by the new Forest Law implemented in 1996. The law is based on the principles
of sustainability of forest activities, and fits within the international agenda for
preservation and conservation of the natural resources.
The process of enforcement of the
new rules requires a period of adaptation, bringing with it different demands for changes.
The new legal regime has affected the private sector. No transition period was considered
and the rapid change has a strong impact in the forestry sector.
One characteristic of the Bolivian forest
regime is the original dominion of the State over forest resources. Once the forest
resources became public, most of the times their use only occurs through bids that give
concessionary rights for their exploitation.
The forest patent is a right paid for in
favor of the State and in counterpart is the usufruct of the forest resources.
To the contrary of what went on
before the adoption of the new Forest Law, when the payment was based on the volume
harvested, currently the forest patent is based on area. This is not a perfect model;
however, it is simple and judicious, whereby its administration is not costly, and reduces
the opportunities for corruption and evasion.
In spite of the new model being adequate, there are
imperfections as to the distinct manners of forest patents being applied in function of
the different users of the forests (private companies, ASL’s, TCO’s and others)
that transpose the principles of equal access to the forest resources (see table 04). A
large part of these imperfections is a result of the forest patent being defined
politically and not technically. |
Table 04 - Payment Comparisons for Forest Patents
ACCESS
FORM |
FOREST
PATENT
(US$/ha harvested/year) |
BASE |
US$/m3(2) |
Forest Concession
. Private Companies
. ASL |
20.00
2.50 - 8.50(1)
|
Total area under concession
Area harvested annually |
6.67
0.83 – 2.83
|
TCO |
1.00 |
Area harvested annually |
0.33 |
| Private Property |
1.00 |
Area harvested annually |
0.33 |
|
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(1) Interval for the situation
where the average volume of the concession is equal to the average volume of the ecoregion
(2) Considering a removal of 3 m3/ha/year (current average) and a
total rotation of 20 years.
Source: Law 1700, adapted by STCP |
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| With
the new Forest Law, management plan became absolutely necessary in order to legally carry
out forest activities in Bolivia.
One item hindering sustainable forest
management under the
new Forest Law is given by the forestland ownership and possession regime.
The new forest regime does not permit the forest company to have the
property right over the forest land, it deals strictly with an exclusive right
but not property. Such a condition puts the forestry sector at a disadvantage
when faced with the other economic sectors, for which this dichotomy does not
exist.
The forestry sector that conserves and
preserves the forest by way of sustainable management practices does not have private
property rights. Meanwhile, for example, the agricultural and cattle farming sector that
clear forest areas can obtain ownership of the land.
In Bolivia, land clearing is a practical method of
increasing property possession security. In spite of the Forest Law making land clearing
more difficult through expensive forest patents, it does not consider that property
ownership is one of the best bases for sustainable forest management. |
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