By Gina Mendía, El Deber:

The Challenge Is Making Paucerna River Excursions Profitable

Federico Ahlfeld Falls is a majestic setting where the Paucerna River ends its journey. It is a tourist destination to enjoy and protect

The powerful river, which rises on the Caparú Plateau within a protected area, has the potential to drive the municipality’s economy, but exploitation and environmental degradation must be avoided.

With the recent appointment of Deputy Governor Cristian Méndez as chairman of the board of the Noel Kempff Mercado National Park, a historic opportunity has emerged—one that has remained largely overlooked for decades: transforming the Paucerna River into a sustainable economic engine for the municipality, without outside concessions, without environmental destruction, and with wealth shared among local residents.

The Paucerna River originates on the Caparú Plateau, within a protected area in the territory of San Ignacio de Velasco. Its crystal-clear waters flow through untouched forests before plunging into the majestic Federico Ahlfeld Falls, an internationally renowned landscape that nevertheless generates little benefit for local communities.

Comparative studies of similar ecotourism destinations in Bolivia and the Amazon region suggest that the responsible use of the Paucerna could generate up to Bs 9 million annually, distributed across three main areas.

Achieving this goal requires promoting sustainable tourism. With an estimated 5,000 to 15,000 visitors per year, income from local guides, transportation, food services, lodging, and handicrafts could range between Bs 2 million and Bs 6 million per season.

The river’s water resources, managed through irrigation projects for coffee and fruit crops, as well as a potential bottled water brand with a designated origin, could generate close to Bs 900,000 annually.

The new president of Noel Kempff Park aims to advance conservation programs, environmental services, and international partnerships capable of mobilizing more than Bs 2.1 million in additional funding.

Valuing Without Destroying

The Paucerna River creates another form of wealth that cannot be measured in money. It provides clean water that sustains forests, soils, and wildlife.

This water resource attracts visitors from around the world who come to experience its natural wonders, while also protecting biodiversity by providing shade, clean air, fruits, natural medicines, and maintaining the ecological balance that supports entire generations.

Experts warn that the key is to avoid repeating models that extract wealth and then leave. The Paucerna does not require massive infrastructure projects or concessions to outside companies. Instead, it needs signage, training for local guides, national and international promotion, and—above all—a sense of ownership among the people of San Ignacio.

“Paucerna does not belong to the park. It belongs to San Ignacio. The park is in our home. As long as we keep its water clean and its forest standing, this river can provide jobs, livelihoods, and progress for thousands of families every year, forever,” says Sofía Landívar, a resident of the municipal capital.

Among the immediate actions suggested for the new director of Noel Kempff Mercado National Park are the creation of community-based ecotourism routes led by locally trained guides. Other proposals include developing irrigation and drinking water projects that make use of the river’s flow, promoting the “Paucerna River–San Ignacio de Velasco” brand in all outreach efforts, and establishing joint monitoring by authorities and communities to prevent deforestation within the watershed.

An Inexhaustible Source of Wealth

Unlike resources that are extracted and eventually depleted, the Paucerna renews its flow every day. Its economic value is directly linked to its conservation. The more intact it remains, the more income it can generate.

For Deputy Governor Cristian Méndez, the goal is clear: to demonstrate that conservation and progress are not opposing paths, and that San Ignacio’s greatest wealth did not come from elsewhere—it has always been there, waiting for its own people to recognize it.

Many speak of distant rivers, unseen lands, and riches carried away by others. Yet in San Ignacio, something more valuable than gold flows through the waters of the Paucerna River.

Méndez maintains that he clearly understands that making use of this natural resource must go hand in hand with protecting biodiversity, ensuring that it continues to sustain future generations.