A milestone in Indigenous-led nature conservation: Charagua Iyambae Protected Areas Law 

In a historic act that marks a milestone in nature conservation led by Indigenous peoples, the Law of Protected Areas and Conservation Areas of the Guaraní Charagua Iyambae Indigenous Autonomy has been enacted on July 23, 2024. This law becomes a fundamental tool for the management, control and surveillance of protected areas. This law, the result of a participatory process of more than 70 meetings and assemblies, further consolidates the protection and governance of more than 5 million hectares of forests and ecosystems vital to the region. Furthermore, the management plan for the Ñembi Guasu Indigenous Conservation Area was endorsed by law, which is part of the Charagua protected area system. 

Lucía Sánchez, vice-president of the Charagua Iyambae Autonomous Assembly, recalls: ‘As inhabitants of Isoso, Charagua, we saw the need for laws to protect our natural areas. It was then that we began to imagine a larger territory that would guarantee the conservation of our resources.’ 

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Charagua Iyambae, the first autonomous Indigenous territorial entity in Bolivia, has set a precedent by building this law from the grassroots up, with the active participation of community and zonal leaders, elders and representatives of the three governance bodies of Charagua bodies: Executive body (Tëtarembiokuai Reta), Legislative body (Mborokuai Simbika Iyapoa Reta) and Large Collective Assembly (Ñemboatiguasu). 

The Charagua Iyambae Protected Areas Law is not only a legal norm, but a reflection of the Guaraní people’s cosmovision and values. Its participatory and community-based approach, patiently and meticulously worked out, makes it an exemplary model for nature conservation around the world. 

A territory with a historical commitment to conservation 

Charagua Iyambae hosts more than 70% of its territory under protection, including five protected areas of great ecological importance: the Irenda Guarani Water Management Area of 142,972 hectares, the Guajukaka (Guanaco) Life Area of 284,670 hectares, most of Kaa Iya National Park  and Integrated Management Natural Area (ANMI) with a surface area of 3,441,115 hectares, Ñembi Guasu Area of Conservation and Ecological Importance of 1,207,850 hectares and a part of Otuquis National Park and ANMI with 1,005,950 hectares conserved.  

Inspired by the success of Kaa Iya National Park, and the creation of the three protected areas, leaders realized that it was necessary to formalize a specific regulation that would encompass all protected areas within their autonomy. In 2019, during a community assembly known as ‘Ñemboati’, the idea of creating a law that would consolidate the management and protection of the natural areas was discussed for the first time. Consultations with the community members showed overwhelming support for the proposal. 

A vision of living in harmony with nature 

The law is based on the governance structure and guiding principles of Charagua Iyambae, including Yaiko Kavi Pave, its vision of living in harmony with nature. The Charagua Iyambae experience demonstrates to the world the potential of indigenous communities to protect their natural and cultural heritage and contribute to the sustainable development of their territories. 

This law today stands as a beacon of hope for the Guaraní people who seek to manage and strengthen the functioning of their protected areas to safeguard their ecosystems and guarantee a sustainable future for future generations.  

Lucía Sánchez sums up the collective sentiment: ‘This law is our hope for the future. It is the tool we needed to protect our land and ensure that future generations can enjoy the same resources we did. It is a legacy we will leave for our children and grandchildren.’ 

María Teresa Vargas, executive director of Fundación Natura Bolivia, celebrates with great joy this achievement for the Guaraní people. She emphasizes that the law is the result of an arduous process of participatory construction, stressing that it is not only a legal norm, but a reflection of the worldview and values of the Guaraní people. 

Continued collaboration and support  

The success of this law, however, will depend on the continued collaboration and commitment of all communities, Bolivian civil society actors and international organisations. The construction of the Law of Protected Areas and Conservation Areas of Charagua was supported closely with technical assistance over these last year by our long-term partner Fundación Natura Bolivia and several other civil Bolivian society actors such as Fundación CIPCA, Oré and NATIVA Bolivia. These in turn have been supported by several international organisations such as World Land Trust, PEW Foundation and IUCN NL.  

‘As IUCN NL we congratulate the people of Charagua and its authorities for their achievements and for their constant commitment to conservation.’ says Sander van Andel, Senior Expert Nature Conservation at IUCN NL. ‘Charagua is an example of indigenous protected area governance and it shows the importance of creating societal, political and financial conditions that support these crucial locally-led initiatives to conserve biodiversity.’ 

IUCN NL has been supporting various Bolivian CSO partners, such as Natura Bolivia and NATIVA Bolivia, that have dedicated efforts since 2018, to support the Charagua autonomous government, in preparing this legislation that delivers a governance structure for the protected regions instituted by the autonomous Indigenous administration of Charagua. 

Strengthen the Roots

With the Strengthen the Roots project, IUCN NL and Wilde Ganzen support community based organisations in Bolivia, Ghana and Indonesia that stand up for nature in and around their communities, enabling them to mobilize local support for their work. This way, Strengthen the Roots works on nature conservation that is not performed top-down, but is driven by the collective strength of community organisations.