Artificial intelligence predicts deforestation to prevent Forest fires in Bolivia
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The Dirección de Conservación del Patrimonio Natural (DICOPAN) and local municipalities in Bolivia are using an artificial intelligence tool called Forest Foresight to predict illegal deforestation and prevent forest fires in the Bosque Seco Chiquitano.
This dry tropical forest, which spans 24 million hectares, is one of the most well preserved in the world but suffered heavy damage during the 2024 fire season.
WWF Bolivia and the Sociedad Boliviana de Derecho Ambiental implemented the technology in the municipalities of Concepción and Charagua. The tool combines satellite imagery, historical geospatial data, and local socioeconomic variables to identify patterns of illegal land clearing up to six months in advance. By identifying these activities early, authorities can intervene before land clearings lead to uncontrolled fires. The system has already helped officials identify illegal roads in the Blanco and Negro river basins.
In the Tucabaca region, the use of this technology helped reduce deforestation from 200 hectares to 62 hectares. While the tool can produce false positives, it maintains an 80 percent accuracy rate when it detects illegal activities. Local communities are also taking an active role in protection. In Concepción, a satellite monitoring center was established to integrate the AI tool with daily information bulletins and the formation of community fire brigades.
These efforts aim to shift the regional strategy from reacting to fires to proactive prevention, especially as the El Niño phenomenon threatens to increase temperatures and dry out the forest.
