Bolfor II

Bolfor II logoSince March 2004 TFT has worked with the Bolivian forestry sector in the BOLFOR II project, a new phase of the Bolivia Sustainable Forest Management Project.

This six year project, jointly funded and led by USAID/Bolivia and The Nature Conservancy (TNC), is promoting sustainable forest management and economic development in Bolivia’s lowlands.

The two principal goals are to increase benefits to Bolivian communities from natural forest management and improve business practices that support increased forestry exports.

BOLFOR II’s activities are organized into six main project components: (1) policy support; (2) institutional support; (3) community-based natural forest management; (4) communication; (5) improved forest management and business practices in the private sector; and (6) facilitation of forest exports.

The TFT plays a key role in BOLFOR II by facilitating increased exports of certified timber and processed wood products to European markets. With 1,902,954 hectares (status 1 July 2005) under FSC certification, Bolivia offers a large volume of FSC certified timber. However, marketing Bolivia’s certified forest products and securing market access for Bolivian producers are among BOLFOR II’s largest challenges. Even though Europe represents the largest market for tropical hardwoods and certified tropical forest products, wood destined for the European market represents less than 30 percent of Bolivia’s forest products exports. In contrast, Bolivia’s sales to a handful of importers in the United States represent about 70 percent of its forest products exports.

With 130 million acres of forests, Bolivia has more tree cover than Central America and Mexico combined. Until relatively recently however, the country’s forests were being cut in an unorganized fashion. A limited number of private companies represented most of the industrial forestry activity, focusing on species such as mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla), oak (Amburana cearensis) and cedar (Cedrela odorata). Wood from these commercially valuable species comprised nearly 90 percent of the country’s timber trade.

The rapid and unsustainable exploitation of these species and the subsequent negative consequences for the environment and the long-term development of Bolivia prompted the Bolivian government and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to create the Bolivia Sustainable Forest Management Project, known as BOLFOR. The BOLFOR project was officially launched in 1993 to promote sustainable forestry as a means for protecting Bolivia’s its forests, biodiversity, soils and water.

Due in large part to achievements of that effort, Bolivia now has a well-trained cadre of professional foresters, progressive national forestry laws, and the world’s largest share of natural tropical forests certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).

This first stage was successful enough that a second BOLFOR project was approved in late 2003. USAID selected The Nature Conservancy to coordinate the $15 million BOLFOR II project together with nine Bolivian, US and European partners including the TFT.

The TFT is working together with Forest For Future BV (FFF), a European venture established in 2004, to support the marketing and sale of Bolivia’s forest products in Europe. Forest For Future operates with European business consultants and marketing intermediates for a selected group of Bolivian timber companies, known as the "The BOLFOR Group".

The BOLFOR Group comprises Bolivia’s leading wood product manufacturers. They are companies with a strong interest in sustainable forest operations, and many are already successfully exporting products to the US, China and Mexico.

More information

BOLFOR II Project

The Nature Conservancy
Casilla #6204
Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia
tel: +591-3-348-0766
www.bolfor.org
nature.org/wherewework/southamerica/bolivia/

Forest for Future
Martijn Eikelenboom
tel: +31- 655 -178 880
email: eikelenboom@planet.nl