Champions of nature
Scouts in Bolivia are championing afforestation with native plants to restore ecosystems in the inter-Andean valleys of Bolivia, in the area of Cochabamba. It’s not a quick nor easy solution, but one which will create healthier natural forests and ensure the sustainability of entire ecosystems in the region for generations to come. As always, Scouts are in it for the long-term and are determined to affect positive change.
Afforestation projects are underway, however nurseries tend to prioritise exotic species, which are easier to obtain and breed. However, exotic species disrupt the natural balance of reforested local ecosystems, causing other issues.
“Deforestation has diminished the natural forests of the inter-Andean valleys of Bolivia, weakening ecosystems, and putting some tree species in danger of extinction. The slopes and valleys, which were previously covered by native forests and shrubs, are today barely covered by vegetation consisting mainly of carob and grass shrubs”
Bolivian Scouts decided to take a bold, long-term approach to re-establishing healthy ecosystems by developing a native species nursery, to support afforestation efforts, alongside mass awareness and outreach campaigns, to create an enormous multiplier effect. Here’s how:
- Creation of a Multiplier team: 118 volunteer Scouts and leaders were trained on the importance of native species and how to look after a nursery and nurture seedlings.
- Seed collection: The trained Multiplier team split up into sub-teams and travelled to 12 communities and forests to gather as many seeds as possible from native trees, to use in the creation of seedbeds.
- Establishment of the nursery: Volunteers from the Multiplier team helped set-up the seedbed and maintain the growth rate of seedlings. Two part-time gardeners work to maintain the nursery and water the seedlings between weekends when volunteers are not available. The gardeners were hired from the local area to strengthen community links and show how the campsite benefits others.
- Expanding the project: The Multiplier team ran awareness activities in Scout groups to train an additional 1156 interested Scouts. Trained Scouts and leaders then reached out an additional 10,060 people via schools, neighbourhoods and families, to boost awareness and support for the project, supported by social media campaigns and a Scout badge.
- Forestation activities: Over 1012 Scouts and leaders, plus community members, have participated in activities near the Scout campsite in Arani and near the city of Cochabamba, planting 890 native trees grown in the Scout nursery.
“My favourite part of the project was walking to Apote, because I was able to see and appreciate with my own eyes the reality in which various ecosystems of Cochabamba are found, although it was not very pleasant to know the reality of native forests in my city. I look forward to seeing the successful completion of this project.”
And most importantly, this Scout project is sustainable. In the first stages, production costs were kept to a minimum thanks to considerable volunteer support. Project funding from the Bolivia Scout Association, alongside generous support from the Doris and Hans Imholz Messengers of Peace Fund, via the World Scout Foundation, was used to develop the nursery and support initial outreach and training. The Multiplier approach has also proved successful to engage thousands of Scouts and community members in the project.
In the long term, the Scouts will continue to work with local partners and institutions to ensure that Scouts can supply them with native seedlings at good rates for their own afforestation projects, whilst also covering the basic costs associated with the Scout nursery (gardeners, water). They estimate that they can produce 1500 to 2500 seedlings of native trees per year!
