On Wednesday, November 6, the Autonomous Departmental Government of Pando, Bolivia, delivered a foundational tool to help transform the development efforts in the department – after 28 years, Pando has completed its Land Use Plan – Plan de Uso de Suelos (PLUS) in Spanish.
As one of the newest members of the Governors’ Climate and Forests Task Force (GCFTF), Pando is demonstrating why subnational action is so critical. This plan will serve to help the department protect its natural resources, support community livelihoods, and open up climate finance opportunities for a New Forest Economy.
The PLUS is now headed to the departmental legislative assembly for approval into law.
Governor Richter noted that
This tool, which has not been renewed since 1996, plays a strategic role in allowing economic activities, such as agriculture, livestock and forestry, to be carried out in an orderly manner and with respect for the environment, thus avoiding conflicts of use and promoting balanced growth.
This new PLUS extends through 2040, and classifies the territory into different land categories, each one adapted to the characteristics of the land and its possibilities of use.
The GCFTF congratulates Governor Richter and the team of Pando, in particular through the Secretariat of Mother Earth. Additional partners who were instrumental in moving this forward included the Inter-American Development Bank, Conservation International Bolivia, WWF Bolivia, Amazon Conservation – ACEAA, CIPCA_Bolivia, Fundacion Fautapo and CáritasInternacional.