Dayana Blanco Quiroga

Dayana Blanco is an Indigenous woman who is leading a remarkable restoration effort at Lake Uru Uru in Bolivia. She works towards protecting the whole coast to aid the conservation of the three flamingo species living there.

Background
Lake Uru Uru is a unique high-Andean wetland that is heavily polluted by mining runoff, plastic waste, and climate change. The breeding and feeding grounds of 76 bird species that call it their home have been destroyed, including those of the Chilean, Andean, and James’s flamingos. Lake Uru Uru is biologically and culturally irreplaceable and the flamingos also act as an indicator of the ecosystem’s health, which is why Dayana Blanco is committed to protecting them.

Dayana has developed and implemented an exceptional nature-based solution rooted in the traditional knowledge of her ancestors to protect Lake Uru Uru. She uses native aquatic plants, called totoras (Schoenoplectus californicus), as natural water purifiers. These plants are able to filter heavy metals such as mercury out of the lake and improve water quality. Not only that, but totoras also provide perfect nesting habitat, shelter, and feeding areas for flamingos and other bird species in the area. With her Uru Uru Team, Dayana has restored 10 km of the lake’s shoreline, planting six thousand totoras in degraded areas.

By creating community-driven protection plans based on results from her research, Dayana and her team ensure long-term habitat recovery through local action. Through the education of community members, including youths, Dayana is empowering Indigenous conservationists. She has trained locals to monitor the birds, identify seasonal patterns and map feeding and nesting areas. Their monitoring efforts confirm the return of all three flamingo species to the restored areas.

Vision and approach
By drawing on ancestors’ knowledge as well as ecological science, Dayana is able to protect the living heritage of Lake Uru Uru using natural purifiers. She has created an Indigenous-led model of conservation and restoration that uses the flamingos as a symbol of harmony between people, water and wildlife in the Bolivian highlands.

Impact of the Future For Nature Awards
With the FFN Award prize money, Dayana will:

• Scale up the restoration of Lake Uru Uru to its full 24 km² coastal area
• Expand restoration by planting 10 thousand totoras in degraded zones
• Protect restored areas and train Indigenous youth in ecological monitoring to protect the three unique species of flamingos Andean, Chilean and James that inhabit the Lake

Written by Marloes Leeflang