The growing population in the Andes is increasing the threat to the region's remaining forest eco-systems. The ECOBONA project has set itself the goal of making authorities in Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador more aware of the need to protect and preserve this vital natural resource and helping them to develop and implement effective protective measures.

The rich biodiversity of forests in the Andes is vital for agricultural ecosystems and hence for the liveli-hoods of millions of farming families. However, the forests that cling to the (often steep) Andean slopes are also of paramount importance for other reasons. Besides providing protection against erosion and landslides, they regulate soil water dynamics, thus playing a key role in drinking-water supplies and irri-gation-system operation. Growing pressure from population growth and the resultant over-exploitation, clearing and deforestation represent a threat to these forest and agricultural ecosystems, and hence to human and animal habitats.

Raising awareness
Raising awareness of the urgent need for protective measures is an important project component, and an integrated approach is used in an attempt to win over the relevant government authorities at local, na-tional and regional level to the idea of preserving these frequently forgotten natural resources. However, at local level, private users – usually the farming families themselves – have to be persuaded to reduce pressure on forests and ecosystems in the Andes region and to handle scarce natural resources with care. The aim is for both national and local government bodies to develop policies, standards and protective mechanisms that match their particular situation.

Implementation in Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador
The SDC has commissioned Intercooperation, a Swiss organization, to execute the project which has activities and specific areas of involvement in the three Andean countries of Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador. A Regional Office is responsible for exchanging know-how and experience and for awareness-raising work at regional level, for instance through cooperation with the "Comunidad Andina" (Andean Com-munity) organization. The project covers 41 communities spread over  a 51,369 km2 area (Switzerland: 41,285 km2) with approximately 920,000 inhabitants (Switzerland: 7.5 million).
 
Implementation of the international Convention on Biological Diversity
ECOBONA is part of Switzerland's contribution to implementing the international Convention on Bio-logical Diversity in the countries of the Andes. The objective of this Convention, which Switzerland rati-fied in 1994, is to protect the biological diversity of ecosystems, species, populations and their genetic differences, as well as their resources.

Activities

• The Ecobona project raises awareness about and trains local authorities in the efficient, effective protection of the primeval Andean forests that have survived in their areas.
• It provides support for designing communal regulations as well as protective and zone planning for the preservation and sustainable management of secondary forests in the Andes.
• Ecobona trains technical staff in local planning designed to protect natural resources at commu-nity level.
• The project also promotes the development of alternative products – such as honey – to create jobs and additional sources of income without permanently damaging natural resources.
• Training and making the local authorities aware of the need for environment-friendly farming and the preservation of Andean forests is another important facet of the project.
• Special attention is paid to gender issues to ensure women are included in farming organization and production and can thus benefit from the additional income.
• Exchange and systematization of experiences, "lessons learnt" knowledge is another key aspect of the project.
• Ecobona has also set itself goals at national level, such as raising awareness about the importance of protecting resources among national agriculture and forestry ministries and organizations in Andean countries.
• Furthermore, Ecobona is cooperating with universities on drawing up vegetation maps and on in-corporating the topic into degree courses.
• Lastly, Ecobona also participates in important task forces in charge of drafting national environ-mental protection legislation and protection policies.
  developing local standards for managing and conserving natural resources

Concrete results:
ECOBONA builds on the successes and achievements of two earlier projects, redoubling efforts to en-courage the adoption and implementation of national legislation on protecting the Andean forests. This project also focuses more on encouraging and disseminating alternative sources of income for farmers and their families to relieve pressure on forests as a natural resource.
Project achievements include the protection of some 15'000 hectares of Andean forest stocks, including sources of water, and more than 100'000 native shrubs and bushes have been planted. The development of plans for sustainable use of timber products has proved its worth in practice. While 3'000 hectares were dedicated to timber production, roughly 12'000 hectares were used in Potosi alone in 2005 for non-timber products. Tangible progress has been made in the areas of agro-forestry, soil conservation, cattle breeding, family activities to generate higher production as well as strategies for the commercial exploitation of honey and natural medicines.