Voluntary Conservation in Latin America: Challenges and Opportunities

Samuel Valdes Diaz – Director of Biodiversity Consultant Group

Latin America is a rich mosaic of cultures and boasts exuberant biodiversity across its landscapes. With over 8.8 million square kilometers of marine and terrestrial protected areas (PAs)—a figure 15 times larger than Spain, France, and Germany combined—it also stands as the most protected region on the globe. But many challenges remain for Latin American conservationists, including fragmentation of landscapes, varied motivations for private conservation, and funding struggles. The ways in which practitioners are addressing those barriers are innovative, replicable, and draw on the unique strengths of each nation.

Fragmentation threatens conservation outcomes

Fragmented landscapes are an issue in roughly 33 percent of Latin America’s PAs. In these areas, private and voluntary conservation efforts play a vital role in establishing land bridges and safeguarding critical habitats for species. Additionally, they help create green infrastructure that is necessary for climate change adaptation and mitigation.

Varied motivations do not always prioritize the wellbeing of nature

While there is a growing network of people and organizations dedicated to private and civic land conservation in Latin America, not all work done under the guise of conservation is motivated by values of land and resource protection. Most Latin American countries mandate some level of protection for riparian and native forest cover, even on private properties. Therefore, private protection may stem from regulatory requirements or local and national regulations. Moreover, developers often adhere to strict conservation standards to secure financing, particularly from international agencies, to offset project impacts on forest cover or biodiversity assets in critical habitats.

To discern between private conservation that is mainly profit or savings motivated and that defined by a stewardship mindset, some conservationists use the term voluntary conservation. Voluntary conservation refers to and celebrates the latter motivations for preserving natural vegetation.

Acquiring funding to protect nature in perpetuity is a constant task

All conservation, voluntary or otherwise, requires funding, and reliable, ongoing sources of capital can be difficult to secure, especially when conservation initiatives are not officially recognized by national authorities or legal systems continue to incentivize deforestation.

Some Latin American countries, such as Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Paraguay have established laws, levies, and funding programs to promote the establishment of new, voluntarily PAs. Costa Rica is renowned as a leader in environmental policy. It introduced a portfolio of tax exemptions and direct economic incentives in 1996 to promote protection, restoration, and reforestation of degraded land. The efficacy of these programs is reflected in Costa Rica’s vast network of areas that are both protected and documented. According to the Costa Rican Network of Natural Reserves Association, the country boasts over 200 registered reserves.

Similarly, Ecuador offers payments for forest conservation initiatives like its Socio Bosque (Forest Partner) program. According to Initiative20x20.org, Ecuador launched Socio Bosque in 2008 in response to increasing deforestation of its native forests. The project uses conservation agreements to pay the nation’s poorest private and communal forest landowners to maintain and sustainably manage their properties. Participants develop a sustainable management plan and are paid a per-hectare rate to implement it. Compliance is monitored using satellite imagery and the payment schemes are designed to benefit small-scale landowners the most. Currently, 2,541 agreements have been signed, empowering 175,000 beneficiaries, and conserving 1.6 million hectares (about 4 million acres) of native forests and Andean moors. 

Paraguay models a payment for ecosystem services program. Its Law No. 3001, Régimen de Servicios Ambientales, has seen positive measurable results. The program issues certificates for the valuation of land that is generating environmental benefits. These certificates are then sold to high-impact project developers or by companies with social and environmental responsibility programs. As of 2023, 1,027,789 hectares (about 2, 539, 722 acres) of conserved land were in private hands and 103,686 lay in ancestral territories. The value of the certificate transactions between sellers and buyers from 2015-2023 was $25,495,218 (USD). 

Policy progress varies widely among Latin American countries

Not every Latin American country has made equal progress on developing their legal systems to accommodate nature conservation. Many continue to reward deforestation for the establishment of unproductive pastures, supported by policies promoting food sovereignty and populist measures. For instance, the Panamanian government offers enticing perks such as 0 percent interest-rate loans for purchasing lands for cattle ranching, reimbursement for agrochemicals, fence construction, and land clearing for cattle grazing.

Consequently, Panama boasts approximately 1.8 million hectares (about 4.5 million acres) of pastures and an estimated cattle herd of 1.5 million , resulting in a low productivity rate of only 0.85 heads per hectare, one of the poorest rates in the region. Moreover, the clearing of natural vegetation leads to a surge in property values, turning them into lucrative real estate assets.

This surge often results in properties being sold for various development projects or speculative ventures that capitalize on escalating land values for future endeavors. In these cases, investing in land conservation becomes unfavorable, often misunderstood by the populace, who may assume conservation buyers are financially affluent.

Certain nations and initiatives stand as models for the rest of Latin America and beyond

The strongest cases of voluntary conservation across Latin America ensure that work is legally recognized and that conservation outcomes are monitored and reported. These efforts play a crucial role in protecting critical habitats and establishing connectivity between PAs, contributing significantly to the region’s 30×30 goals.

Funding land conservation in this region—like elsewhere around the globe—is an experiment in which every country must search for the best ways to incentivize forest conservation and restoration in private lands in a manner complementary to PAs and government mandates. The wide-ranging approaches that are emerging are extensions of each region’s rich cultural heritage, biodiversity, and unique answers to the pervasive issues facing this and coming generations.

Have news? Share updates from your organization or country by emailing ilcn@lincolninst.edu.