Exhausted after hours of battling the inferno, Mamio Serato was left alone as the elder community members evacuated. Witnessing the flames consume their homes, he felt a sense of defeat. Just as all seemed lost, a local fire brigade arrived, allowing them to create counter burns that halted the fire's progress, saving the main villages. However, this marked the beginning of a new era of wildfires in the Bolivian Amazon.

In September, Mamio Serato reported that the air around nearby towns was thick with smoke, darkening the sky and threatening his village once again. Despite the existence of laws intended to protect nature, these regulations have proven ineffective against the encroaching flames.

In 2010 and 2012, Bolivia boldly enacted laws recognizing the rights of Pachamama (Mother Earth). These laws signify a radical shift from viewing non-human life forms as mere property to acknowledging their intrinsic rights. Advocates argue that this perspective is essential for addressing environmental issues threatening the planet. However, Bolivia's Mother Earth laws are often seen as ineffective and unenforceable, leaving individuals like Mamio Serato struggling to defend the Amazon.

Historically, parts of the rainforest have burned naturally, especially during the dry season from May to October. However, the current situation in Bolivia is unprecedented, with fires consuming five times more forest than two decades ago. As of September 30, over 10 million hectares (24.7 million acres) of rainforests, wetlands, and grasslands have burned, a scale comparable to Indiana. This year is set to be remembered as the worst environmental disaster in Bolivia's history.

The issue extends beyond Bolivia; neighboring countries in South America are also experiencing record fire seasons. Decades of deforestation have rendered the Amazon increasingly susceptible to fire, disrupting its natural water cycle and exacerbating conditions for drought due to climate change and weather patterns like El Niño. As forests burn, carbon dioxide emissions worsen climate conditions, creating a self-perpetuating cycle of destruction.

For 65 million years, the Amazon has thrived, supporting diverse life forms. However, human activity has led to approximately 18% of the Amazon being deforested, with Bolivia's losses trailing only Brazil's. Key drivers of deforestation in Bolivia include agricultural expansion, mining, logging, and development, often incentivized by permissive government policies that overshadow nature's rights laws. Much of the extracted resources are exported to consumers in countries like the United States.

Mamio Serato and others are acutely aware of how climate change affects their environment. However, during a meeting in Bella Altura, he pointed out a third factor often overlooked—faulty thinking about our relationship with nature.

Bella Altura, a small rainforest community with fewer than 100 residents, is surrounded by lush rainforest. Mamio Serato, who grew up there, learned two types of education: traditional knowledge from his elders and formal education. This Indigenous wisdom is essential for sustaining Tacana culture and livelihoods, yet is at risk due to encroaching plantations threatening their territory.

In June, Bella Altura hosted representatives from various South American forest communities to discuss their challenges and strategies for defending their lands. Despite cultural differences, they shared a fundamental belief in their interdependence with the natural world. Mamio Serato emphasized, "We are part of nature. Indigenous people know this. Who will defend nature if not us?"

He highlighted two vital truths: that humanity is inherently linked to nature for survival, regardless of societal narratives of human exceptionalism, and that Indigenous peoples are crucial guardians of the forest against destructive forces. Unfortunately, they often pay a high price for resisting land grabs and commodification of their territories, facing violence, harassment, and intimidation.

Mamio Serato, who led a social media campaign against palm oil plantations near Bella Altura, received threats against himself and his community. "I was scared, of course I was scared," he acknowledged, feeling alone against a powerful adversary.

Today, the sacrifices made by defenders like Mamio Serato protect not just their communities but the global ecosystem. The Amazon absorbs vast amounts of carbon dioxide, acting as a buffer against climate change. Continued destruction will lead to a more unstable future, threatening biodiversity and the survival of countless species, including humans.

In recent years, Indigenous leaders like Mamio Serato have increasingly recognized the importance of integrating their understanding of interconnectedness with nature into legal frameworks. At the Bella Altura gathering, they discussed how communities from Peru, Brazil, and Ecuador have successfully established rights of nature laws.

In contrast, Bolivia's Mother Earth legislation has not been effectively enforced. Mamio Serato, recalling his involvement in drafting rights of nature proposals as a child, expressed disappointment at seeing these ideals diluted. Following Evo Morales' election, Bolivia made significant strides in recognizing Indigenous rights, but these achievements have been undermined by the government's resource extraction focus.

The Bolivian government's heavy reliance on extractive industries for economic support has caused a rift with environmentalists and Indigenous communities. In 2011, protests against a highway through the Amazon led to violent dispersal by armed forces, further alienating Indigenous leaders from the Morales administration.

Scholars have noted significant differences in how highland and lowland Indigenous groups perceive land. Highlanders often view land as a resource, while lowlanders emphasize reciprocity and relationship with nature. This divergence may explain some of the Morales government's choices, prioritizing economic interests over environmental sustainability.

The Bolivian embassy and government officials did not respond to requests for comments regarding these matters. Mamio Serato lamented the transformation of grassroots rights of nature proposals into ineffective legislation. He outlined numerous obstacles in enforcing these laws, including government pressure on communities lacking alternatives and a failure to uphold existing protective measures.

Despite the government's claims of having Mother Earth laws, their actions often contradict those principles. For instance, fines for illegal land clearing are minimal compared to those imposed in Brazil, making enforcement ineffective.

With Bolivia facing an economic crisis and escalating environmental degradation, Mamio Serato and others are left to contend with the consequences. His community is observing alarming signs of ecological imbalance and wildlife decline, further compounded by the threat of fires and health risks from wildfire smoke.

Reflecting on the devastation he witnessed, Mamio Serato recalled the painful aftermath of the fire, witnessing the charred remains of wildlife and the loss of precious trees. Despite requests for firefighting resources going unfulfilled, he and his community remain committed to their cause.

In contrast, global responses to environmental disasters like the burning of the Cathedral of Notre Dame often attract immense financial support, highlighting the disparity in assistance for local communities facing ecological crises. Fátima Monasterio Mercado, a Bolivian activist, criticized the lack of government support for communities facing environmental challenges.

Efforts are underway to rebuild social movements advocating for the rights of nature and exploring economic alternatives to extraction. Recent initiatives in Bolivia have seen towns declaring themselves free of mining, invoking the rights of nature as a foundational step.

Activists are also organizing referendums for citizens to express their views on environmental laws, emphasizing the need to uphold the rights of Indigenous peoples and Mother Earth. Mamio Serato remains steadfast in his commitment, participating in assemblies to propose sustainable economic alternatives and restore nature's rights.

"This connection we have with nature, with our animals and our ecosystems," he expressed, "makes it impossible for us to stop trying."