Empowering Indigenous Communities for Fair Forest Management

For years, the community’s legal representative had granted powers of attorney to different timber entrepreneurs without clear oversight, which generated uncertainty about the amount of timber harvested and transported. This situation created the need to strengthen territorial control and guarantee fair payment for using their resources within the framework of their forest management plan.

To address this problem, ORE promoted a legal assistance initiative, providing advice on forestry policies and administrative processes. As part of the solution, creating a mixed forestry committee, composed of men and women from both communities, was proposed to establish clear rules and ensure a more equitable administration of profits.

The initiative included a two-day training workshop, with translation into the native Zamuco language, in which detailed information was provided on current regulations and a model contract was developed to ensure fair payment. As a result of this process, this group of people who did not have the capacity to negotiate with buyers because they did not speak Spanish, the language in which the regulations are written, now have a tool that protects their legal rights and convenient contracts in favour of the community.

 The impact was significant in different aspects. The first was strategic meetings held between February 20 and March 5, 2024, with Ayoreo authorities and representatives of various bodies, including CANOB, the Departmental Assembly and the Bolivian System of Forest Certification and Incentives. The second was that thanks to these efforts, Pilay and Manantial community members actively participated in constructing a contract protecting their rights and improving their ability to negotiate with forestry agents. This document not only represents an advance in the management of their territory but also lays the groundwork for greater transparency and equity in managing TIOC Guayé’s resources.