Venezuela is among the top ten countries with the highest levels of biodiversity in the world. Pioneers in environmental matters, Venezuelans have numerous legal instruments to deal with natural areas. Resulting from these instruments, we have 43 National Parks and 36 Natural Monuments. As a whole, they cover 15 million hectares, approximately 16% of our country's area.

National Parks are large extensions of the national territory protected by the Venezuelan State in order to preserve unspoiled portions of our ecosystems and the natural resources inside them. Nevertheless, despite the efforts of various governmental and non-governmental organizations to protect our National Parks, it is common to find out that the regulations designed for these areas are not properly complied with. This is due, to a great extent, to the lack of knowledge about the importance that National Parks can have in our daily life and in the economic and social welfare of our country.

It is for this reason that BioParques, a non-profit non-governmental organization (NGO), was created out of the need for the Venezuelan population to understand and treasure the value of their natural areas as ways to preserve and/or improve their quality of life.

Through periodical visits, BioParques assesses the way in which National Parks are functioning as well as the resources available for them. BioParques promotes integral solutions for the problems that are detected, providing support, through these activities, for the governmental organizations in their attempts to develop effective conservation programs.

Currently, BioParques is working on a Network of National Park Allies. This is an ambitious long term project that will strengthen the links between the parks and their beneficiaries. We intend to promote the notion of co-responsibility for protected areas in the population. Co-responsibility is defined as the shared responsibility of the government and common citizens to work for and look after the protected areas in the country.

We encourage you to explore our web site and discover how we put the conservation of our parks into practice and how you can join us in this task.

Last update: July 2008

To contact us:

Phone number: +58-212-7314016
Fax: +58-212-7317189
Email: bioparques@bioparques.org

Office hours:

9 am to 1 pm (Monday to Friday)

 

RIF J-30883470-0

Bioparques recognized again by the World Summit on the Information Society in 2007

Excellence Special Recognition on e-Science