Perfil ambiental de Bolivia

Background information on the Bolivian environment is followed in Chapter II by an analysis of the country"s population and its relationship with the ecosystem. Chapter III assesses the status of the nation"s wildlife and the quality of wildlife management and research. Chapter IV covers the condition and management of national parks and other protected areas, while Chapter V provides an overview of environmental education efforts. In Chapter VI, the report highlights additional responses to the country"s environmental problems, including legislation and institutions. Chapter VII assesses the condition and agricultural importance of the country"s major rangeland zones and summarizes efforts to improve rangeland management. Chapter VIII examines the extent of soil and river basin erosion in Bolivia and describes its social and economic impact. Actions to control erosion are also summarized. Chapter IX identifies the major causes of pollution and assesses its effect on public health. Legislative and institutional efforts to combat pollution are described. Chapters X and XI highlight the environmental issues concerning natural and plantation forests, with reference to the increasing demand for fuelwood. The final chapter evaluates the Bolivian government"s institutional and legal capacity for improving natural resource management. Recommendations are included in each chapter. An 8-page bibliography is appended.