Achievements in 2008 included (cont’d):

Environmental education and outreach

• Presentations to raise awareness in five key communities in Caine region and two in Pilcomayo area.

• Environmental education activities with more than 460 students and 30 teachers.

• Dissemination of information on the Red-fronted Macaw and Armonía’s conservation program in three major Bolivian newspapers and the in-flight magazine of a nation airline.

• Launch of a national campaign against illegal wild bird trade: a traveling exhibit in five major cities was visited by more than 2600 people; media campaign reached approximately 2,800,000 people or 33% of the population.

Monitoring and investigation

• Population and breeding bird census at 28 sites

• Monitoring of foraging behavior during the non-breeding season.

• Radio tracking of five macaws.

Tara. Tara (Caesalpina spinosa), a native tree species of economic value that is well-adapted to dry environments, was identified by the residents of Amaya, Perereta and San Carlos as a potential source of supplementary income. (Tara seeds are used in the production of substances used in tanning; there is a large market for these products in Peru which has an export operation in place.) In 2007 we obtained a donation of tara saplings from the state university in Cochabamba and distributed these to 66 families that expressed interest in participating in this pilot effort. Most of the saplings did not survive the dry season or were eaten by goats or ants. Nonetheless, 187 trees are thriving and the first harvest is expected within two to three years.

Soto. The fate of the soto saplings planted in 2007 was similar to that of the tara saplings. A few have survived, however, such as this one planted in the Perereta schoolyard.

Grape vines and orange trees planted in 2005 and 2006 are producing fruit. Although many of the plants did not survive, those families that managed to keep their plants alive are, literally, enjoying the fruits of their efforts.

Toro Toro. One of our initial actions to expand the reach of the program was to give a presentation on the Red-fronted Macaw and its potential as a tourist attraction to Toro Toro National Park personnel and Toro Toro municipal government officials (Caine area). Also, together with the development organization Food for the Hungry we held a workshop with 30 members of the Toro Toro Tourist Guide Association and five park guards; we presented information on the Red-fronted Macaw and birds in general, and also provided hands-on training in the use of binoculars and telescopes.

Environmental Education and Outreach

Communities. Environmental education - awareness and understanding of the basic concepts of ecology and conservation – is fundamental to sustainable rural development. Activities to raise awareness in the Caine and Pilcomayo regions included presentations in community meetings and environmental education activities with local schools. We gave talks in five key communities in the Caine area and two in the Pilcomayo area. In April, environmental education workshops were held in Uyuni (Pilcomayo) with the participation of 150 students and 11 teachers. In September, we participated in a Red-fronted Macaw Fair in the community Julo Chico (Caine). More than 60 primary school students participated in the event that was organized by Food for the Hungry. In the Mizque region in April and May, we hosted more than 250 students and 18 teachers from eight local schools at the Red-fronted Macaw Ecolodge. The highlight for children and teachers alike was the opportunity to view the macaw through binoculars and telescopes.

School children view the Red-fronted Macaw at the Ecolodge.

Red-fronted Macaw Fair in Julo Chico.