There's good news from Bolivia.

The World Land Trust and Nature and Culture International have jointly funded the creation of Heroes del Chaco Historical and Wildlife Municipal Reserve.

This is protection a whopping 664,484 acres of Dry Chaco forest in Bolivia!

The project was given community support, and on the ground, it's Natura Bolivia who run it.   

World Land Trust says the plains of Gran Chaco extend from the base of hte Andes across Northern Argentina, western Paraguay and south east Bolivia.

It is ihome to the largest Dry Forest in South America, and has swamps, savannahs, marshes, salt flats and scrubelands.

It supports about 500 species of birds, 150 species of mammals, 120 species of reptiles and 100 species of amphibians, so it's a very important area for wildlife.  Threats to the area are deforestation, hunting and unsustainable cattle farming.  

Natura is working with locals in the area to develop a conservation model which works for both wildlife and people in the area.   For instance, the govenrment has given support for conservation incentives.   

This is very exciting, especially the work to develop conservation models which work for people and wildlife and it will be interesting to see how the project develops.  

Meantime, it's great to think that over 664,000 acres are being protected.