CONSERVATION NEWS

In 1987, Conservation International had a radical idea to reduce Bolivia's debt in exchange for nature conservation. Since then, the country has become a laboratory for the protection of nature, field-testing ideas that would spread around the world.

Years ahead of schedule, Bolivia has met an ambitious goal to protect 30 percent of its land — and that's thanks in large part to Amazonian towns and villages that are accelerating the pace and scale of conservation in the country.

With support from Conservation International, the municipality of Guanay in Bolivia established a law to protect one-third of its land.

On an expedition to Bolivia's Zongo Valley, a team of researchers recently discovered 20 species completely new to science, and rediscovered several species that had not been seen for decades.

Find out how one woolly species is supporting conservation work and livelihoods for communities in Bolivia.