The Pilon Lajas Biosphere Reserve and Indigenous Territory (PLBRIT) was created in 1992 by supreme decree. The Reserve and its buffer zone has a complex structure of social and economic interests including three urban areas, three major indigenous groups, large timber concessions, small scale chain sawyers (motoserristas) and colonists. The proposed project will work in the colonised zone along the road between Rurrrenabaque and Quiquibey to the North, East and South of the Reserve. This area does not currently have any protected status, but VSF, supported by local communities has made proposals for the area to be designated as a buffer zone to the main Reserve during 1996. The zone is approximately 120 km long and 15 km wide. There is a rural or semi-rural population of approximately 9,000 including indigenous people and colonists from both the lowlands (Camba) and Highlands (Collos).

To provide support to a broadly based buffer zone and park management project in the colonised areas along the Eastern, Southern, and Northern margins of the Pilon Lajas Biosphere Reserve and Indigenous Territory (LPBRIT) in the department of Beni. The project will assist farmers in identifying and adopting sustainable agroforestry techniques through the support of an agroforestry TCO (3 years) and support to two farm planning extension teams, on farm participatory research, and longer term off farm research and seed multiplication over a 4 year period.

• Improved capacity of farmers in the buffer zone to conduct and implement agro-ecological farm planning.
• Widened access to farm forestry and agroforestry genetic resources.
• Adaptation and initial validation of farm-forestry technologies.
• Strengthened capacity of local institutions to deliver appropriate agro-forestry and forest management technologies.