About 25 species of bird, many of them threatened, occur exclusively in Polylepis forests. These species do not adapt to planted forests of eucalypts or pines. Bolivian botanist Erica Fernandez, from Cochabamba, found similar trends in plants. The centres of endemism are the Cordillera Blanca and the Abancay-Cuzco region in Peru, as well as the mountains encircling the Cochabamba basin in Bolivia. These areas might remain relatively stable in the event of future climatic change and would be important for both conservation and the development of irrigation schemes or hydro-electric projects.
Botanical studies are in progress to determine if plants show similar centres of endemism.
How to preserve Polylepis forests Almost all Polylepis stands remaining today are on communal land, where it is impractical to establish reserves. Most forest remnants are simply too small and too important a resource for local people. When Carrasco National Park was declared in Bolivia in 1991 and delineated to include some biologically important Polylepis woods, local sentiments ran high. Villagers even threatened to burn the forests if they were not allowed to continue using them. Today, the park administration is involved in complicated negotiations over how to preserve these forests.