Bolivia closes 2023 with a total of 3,508,033 hectares of burned forests and grasslandsreported this Thursday the Ministry of Environment and Waterin a final management balance.
“We have more than 3,500,000 as of this date in December, of which between 30 and 40% are forestthe rest is grasslandsproduction areas for livestock and for soybeans, wheat and others“, Rubén Estrada, minister of the area, indicated in a press conference.
In response to the AFP query, Ministry advisors specified that there are 3,508,033 hectares burned, a reduction of 21.46% compared to 2022, when the Forest and Land Authority (ABT) quantified 4,466,540.
According to Minister Estrada, there are two factors for the burning of forests: human activity and climatic factors, such as El Niño phenomenon.
“They set fire with premeditation and treachery. 50 people are arrested and placed under ordinary justice for these burnings“, accurate. The State Attorney General’s Office opened, separately, proceedings for environmental crimes.
A total of 475 farmers, park rangers, administrative authorities and businessmen were summoned to testify.
The burning of forests It is an ancient practice in Bolivia of preparing the land for planting, although the authority criticized that settlers and agricultural businessmen resorted only to this method.
“There are more than 20 ways to prepare the land and we always use the easiest one, which is burning.“said the minister.
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The departments of Beni (northeast), Santa Cruz (this), Peace and Cochabamba (center) were the most affected, not only by the fires, but also by the drought that broke six temperature records and left entire cities with restrictions on drinking waterlike Potosí (southwest).
There are no official figures for animals killed by fires and suffocation. The state Autonomous University of Beni José Ballivián estimates more than six million, a situation worse than that of 2019, when 5 million dead animals were estimated.
He Bolivian government It has a forest recovery project that requires close to 150 million dollars, for which international support will be sought, according to Estrada.
With information from AFP
Source: Gestion
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