Bolivia has 12 ecoregions (with several subecoregiones) and thousands of ecosystems. Some of these ecosystems are of particular value and importance for conservation to be centers of biological diversity, endemism and their condition or degree of threat. These ecosystems are eg the rain forests of the Amazon and Andean forests.
According to still incomplete surveys and inventories in the country were reported so far around 14,000 species of native plants from seeds (not including ferns, mosses, algae), but it is estimated that more than 20,000 species. In addition, known more than 1,200 species of ferns and over 1,500 species of liverworts and mosses. Although the inventory of fungi is very preliminary, and approximately 800 known species.
In Bolivia there have been 356 species of mammals, about 1,400 species of birds, 203 species of amphibians, 266 reptiles and about 600 species of fish. is co ognize at least 100 endemic species of vertebrates.
probably 20-25% of vascular plants (about 4000-5000 spp.) Could be restricted to the country, which implies a special responsibility to Bolivia.
endemism of plants and animals are concentrated in a few ecoregions related to the Andes, Yungas, Inter-Andean Dry Forests and Sub-Andean Belt.
Given this wealth, in the international context, Bolivia is a country "mega-diverse."
It is among the ten countries with the highest number of species of vertebrates.
Possibly ranks fourth among the world's richest countries of butterflies.
. is also among the top ten with highest diversity of birds and mammals, among the eleven most diverse freshwater fish and among the thirteen most wealth species of amphibians and tiger beetles.
Moreover, about 50 known native species domesticated about 3,000 species of medicinal plants used locally or regionally. Bolivia is the center of origin of important species as chillies, peppers, peppers, potatoes, peanuts, beans, cassava and palm variety.
This wide range of unique biological resources in the world, is currently endangered and at risk of disappearing due to factors resulting from population pressure caused by habitat destruction as a result of deforestation, burning, pollution and use of biodiversity beyond its capacity. 
Selective extraction of species, illegal hunting and loss of genetic variability at the level of agro-biodiversity due to the replacement of local varieties by introduced species are turn other determinants of this crisis. Areas of the Amazon basin are rich in species, have high resilience are dynamic and are characterized by widespread species.
In contrast, some Andean areas have restricted range species, partly coinciding with areas of high human pressure, especially transition zones in the upper parts of the central valleys. Ecoregions that, throughout history, have had major impacts are the Puna, and the Inter-Andean Dry Forests.
On biogeographical importance, fragility and potential are a priority p o conservation of intact ecosystems, especially large, as the lowland forests of north eastern slopes, and large intact ecosystems related to hydro-climatic processes such as rain forests of southwestern Yungas and the Amazon, the centers species richness and endemism, as the Yungas, Sub-Andean Amazonian Forests and Inter-Andean Dry Forests, centers of diversity of wild relatives of economic and biological corridors.
While it is important to identify priorities at the ecoregions and ecosystems, to detect threats that affect a large number of resources, is also necessary to consider particular endangered species. Currently there are hundreds of species of flora and fauna in different categories of threat, although experts have not yet reached a consensus on this issue. Also, many "relatives" of domesticated wild are uncertain situation regarding its condition.
Finally, the status of key areas for conservation of the genetic resources in situ, is poorly understood and not considered in policies and standards. The instrument in situ conservation more important now, is the National System of Protected Areas (SNAP), whose main objective is the strategic conservation of representative samples of components of biodiversity, both in quantity (area) and quality (condition).
There are dozens of protected areas, partly created formal and legal manner, and partially are uncertain status. 21 areas make up the SNAP, 17 of whom are in management and are linked with more than 60 municipalities. state
These protected areas cover a total of over 175,000 km2, equivalent to 17% of the land area of \u200b\u200bthe country. There ecosystems well represented in the SNAP, such as húmeods montane forests of the Yungas, the rainforests of the Gaza Sub-Andean and Chaco ecosystems. However, there are still absent in the SNAP ecosystems requiring special protection.
Many protected areas were created in an arbitrary and bear no significant biological values, so that should be recategorized or disused. On the other hand, many important areas for conservation, biodiversity saved locally aggregate relictual distribution with high levels of endemism are adjacent to densely populated areas with high population pressure and outside areas protected.
Despite the notable efforts to conserve ecosystems broad national interest, has not been enriched with areas of importance SNAP departmental and municipal levels. Thus, there is a need to develop alternative mechanisms that protect local areas of interest within and outside the SNAP.
Although there is a special system of protected areas, currently the structure is still weak relative to other elements of conservation and natural resource management.
hardly been taken into account factors such as rescue and conservation traditional knowledge on natural resource management, use of appropriate agricultural technologies and poverty of local populations, which exert more pressure on these resources, to meet their basic needs.
Thus we have identified that the most important municipalities of the top 14 protected areas have a population growth rate higher than the national growth rate and well above the growth rate in rural areas.
An important strategic component of protected areas is the potential for environmental services and sustainable use of resources biodiversity in the framework of categorization and zoning. It is therefore important to strengthen mechanisms for participation, as management committees, which currently operate with some limitations and shortcomings. Another fa ctor that limit the proper use of biodiversity resources concerning conservation instruments are not sufficiently articulated to the Zoning Plan and national planning system in general.
This problem does not permit them to guide strategic planning and sector based on the types of potential use and recommended land and the establishment of standards for proper utilization of natural resources.
planning is required of land use national, departmental, municipal and community that includes the proper conservation of biodiversity. On the other hand, gene banks, created in order to safeguard the species of origin and domestication from Bolivia, who are more susceptible to genetic erosion and to complement in situ conservation actions, presented issues related to lack of legal definition of rights institutions on genetic resources, lack of sufficient financial resources to ensure long-term conservation term dependency on external resources needed for maintenance.
fauna collections and herbaria, mainly responsible for the inventory of national biodiversity, also have management problems associated especially with the lack of infrastructure, trained personnel and lack of sustainable financing policies.
Texts, maps and photos extracted from: Ministry of Sustainable Development and Planning
(Editors: Mérida, G., M. Oliveira & PL Ibisch) 2003. National Biodiversity Strategy
Bolivia. Executive Summary. Editorial FAN, Santa Cruz.
(ISBN 99905-66-20-8). Bolivia
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