Visual Guide to the National Parks of Argentina Visual Guide to the National Parks of Argentina Financed by: © 2005, Ministerio de Medio Ambiente Organismo Autónomo Parques Nacionales Gran Vía de San Francisco, 4 28005 Madrid Primera edición: diciembre de 2005 ISBN: 84-8014-642-7 NIPO 311-05-029-7 All rights reserved No part of this work may be produced or utilized in any form, by any means, electronic of manual, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the authors and the publisher. National Authorities - Argentina President of the Nation Doctor Néstor Carlos Kirchner Secretary of Tourism Licenciado Carlos Enrique Meyer President of the Board of Directors of the National Parks Administration Ingeniero Agrónomo Héctor Mario Espina Vice President of the Board of Directors of the National Parks Administration Guardaparque Julio Ciurca Members of the Board of the National Parks Administration Msc. Bruno Carpinetti Raúl Chiesa Doctora Patricia Gandini Ingeniero Agrónomo Alberto Torres National Director of Conservation in Protected Areas Licenciado Roberto Molinari National Director of the Interior Martín Rodríguez General Director of Administrative Co-ordination Doctor José Guede National Authorities - Spain Environment Minister Dña. Cristina Narbona Ruiz General Secretary of the Environment D. Antonio Serrano Rodríguez Director General of Biodiversity Conservation D. José Luis Herranz Sáez Director of the Autonomus Agency of National Parks D. Juan Garay Zabala When Nature warns us that she is only one on the whole planet, and tries to get us to breathe in harmony with her rhythms, we can but respect her frag- ile and dynamic balance and accept that everything within our grasp will only succeed if we contribute to that necessary unity. The importance of heeding our natural environment and become aware of its rhythms and cycles will reward us in the long run, with addi- tional benefits to the ones that this attitude gives us in itself, inevitably through an honest evaluation of our own nature. Promoting protected areas and the conservation of biodiversity in Argentina (that the Autonomous Organization National Parks of the Spanish Ministry of the Environment supports in publishing this guide), is coherent with the interest in cooperation between the two countries and is a sign of respect to a rich wisdom, without which it is useless to measure oneself but is enriching to pause and observe. The case of Argentina, a paradigm of the biological values of Latin America proves to be particularly enlightening with respect to the willingness to increase that attention and sympathy between man and nature as far as the cre- ation of these protected areas passes through the unconditional support of the indigenous communities of each areas. Thus the objectives and aims of the Argentine National Parks Administration include the reaching of the necessary agreements with the popula- tion that live in the immediate neighbourhood of each area to reach the best results, that is a use that foments sustainable development of the regions that are also con- verted into tourist attractions of the first order. It could not be any other way. Without doubt, a marvelous display of confidence in the future, of faith in the generosity and abundance of the environs, and a wager on the capac- ity for understanding and concord on the road that will integrate the double noun “man/nature”, that transcends confrontational duality and allows us to proceed in harmony that is supportive, natural and pacific. As National Parks are symbolically important as places where the attitudes of caring and protecting, desirable in the whole of Nature, this book is only (and not less than) a symbol of the cultural and emotional links that tie Argentina to Spain, that contributes towards harmonizing a common and unique nature, and a purpose to obey the basic tenet of harmonizing the breath- ing of brother countries. Antonio Serrano Rodríguez General Secretary for Territory and Biodiversity of the Spanish Ministry of the Environment With the publication of this visual guide to the national parks of Argentina we are but paying an old debt. A debt with the many thousands of visitors who choose to visit parks every year; a debt with those who yearn to know more about the protected natural areas of our country, who contact us daily for infor- mation; and finally, with those who work all over the country, and, carrying out their various responsibili- ties, are committed to the protection of our natural and cultural heritage. From the northern province of Jujuy to the southernmost corner of the country, the province of Tierra del Fuego, the 34 protected areas offer us diversity of species and wonderful contrasts in habitat. The reader will find herein information on the national system of pro- tected areas in Argentina, its history, its objectives, recreational and tourist activi- ties, notable species and its contribution to regional and national development. Our task, as described in these pages, will ensure the conservation of our cultural and natural diversity, key aspects in attaining environmental sustainabil- ity as well as social, economic and institutional development in the environs. National parks promote the conservation of native habitats by stimu- lating reflection and through the commitment to protect nature and those cultural relationships that are, and have been, the source of sustainability both at present and in the past. Thus protected areas favour contacts with the native landscapes, dialogue, and intercultural respect as well as communication between peoples, stimulating and diversifying regional economies. This guide would never have seen the light of day without the funda- mental economical support of the Organismo Autónomo Parques Nacionales de España (Autonomous Agency of National Parks of Spain). To them we extend our deepest thanks. And further thanks to the thousands of the world's citizens who choose us as a destination and support us every day. We await them - on these pages and in the field, in order to continue building, from now on, a better future. Ing. Agr. Héctor Mario Espina President of the Board National Parks Administration of Argentina Contents VISUAL GUIDE to the NATIONAL PARKS of ARGENTINA is a publication of: coordination: Ramón Martínez Torres, Gema Pulido Ramos TIRICA Ediciones de la Naturaleza. Soler 6055, 5° D, (C1425BYO) Buenos Aires, Argentina. Tel/fax (54 -11) 4775-9632 e-mail: [email protected] Idea and Editorship: Roberto Rainer Cinti Art Direction: María Eugenia Scattini Jerónimo Buitrago Editorial staff: Roberto Rainer Cinti Guadalupe Henestrosa Research: Gustavo Aprile English Transation: Maurice Rumboll Layout: Digma Diseño María Eugenia Agudo Illustrations: Aldo Chiappe, Oscar Correa, Luis Núñez, Luis Retta Diagrams: Marcelo Regalado Cartography: Administración de Parques Nacionales, Digma Diseño Photographic Production: Roberto Rainer Cinti Photographic services: Julián Alonso, Archivo APN, Gustavo Aprile, Marcelo Canevari, Pablo Canevari, Ricardo Cenzano Brandón/FNA, Ricardo Ceppi, Roberto Rainer Cinti, Javier Etcheverry/Fotoscopio, Juan Gómez , Eduardo Haene, Andrés Johnson, Pablo Olivieri/APN, Marcos Palma Quintana, Carlos A. Passera, Andrés Pérez Moreno, Darío Podestá, Eduardo Ramilo, Hernán Rodríguez Goñi, Gabriel Rojo, Gabriel Scattini, Claudio Suter. Pre-press: Layout Print: ARTEGRAF, S.A. 12 The Legacy of Francisco Moreno 18 Eco-regions of Argentina 26 El Rey NP - 34 Baritú NP - 38 Calilegua NP 46 NM Laguna de los Pozuelos - 52 Campo de los Alisos NP 56 Los Cardones NP - 62 Copo NP 44 Mini-guide: Signs of Life Northwest 24 70 Iguazú NP - 80 Río Pilcomayo NP - 88 Chaco NP 94 El Palmar NP - 100 Formosa NR - 106 Colonia Benítez ENR 108 San Antonio ENR - 110 Pre Delta NP - 116 Mburucuyá NP 86 Mini-guide: Some birds of the Wet Chaco Northeast 68 124 Otamendi NR - 128 Sierra de las Quijadas NP 136 El Leoncito NP - 144 Quebrada del Condorito NP 150 Talampaya NP - 156 San Guillermo NP 142 Mini-guide: Voyage to the Stars Centre122 164 Nahuel Huapi NP - 174 Lanin NP - 182 Los Alerces NP 188 Perito Moreno NP - 194 Los Glaciares NP - 204 Laguna Blanca NP 208 Bosques Petrificados NM - 214 Tierrra del Fuego NP 220 Lago Puelo NP - 226 Los Arrayanes PN - 230 Lihué Calel PN 236 Southern Right Whale NM - 238 Monte León PN 172 Mini-guide: Some flowers of the Patagonian woods Patagonia162 246 Antarctica: Towards a world park 250 For further enlightenment 252 Low impact practices How to use this Guide The guide is divided in four parts following the four regions used by the National Parks Administration. Each region is identified by a colour code to facilitate finding. The protected areas in each region are arranged chrono- logically so as to put them in the historical context under which they came into being. On the front fly-leaf there is a list in alphabetic order for quick reference to the area sought. In the Introduction there is a précis of the history and objectives of the National System of Protected Areas. Further, there is a map and characteristics of the eco-regions that the system aims to cover. In the Appendix you can find where to increase the information given in this guide and recommendations for visits to protected areas causing the least possible impact. Mini-guides There is a mini-guide for recogni- tion of some group in each region aimed at interesting the visi- tor in some aspect such as tracks,birds,constel- lations or flowers. Any tracks found Four spectacular explanatory dia- can be measured grams help reveal the secrets of the rainforests and the Yungas, the Iguazu using the scale printed falls, Sierra de las Quijadas and the on the back flap. Perito Moreno glacier. Each chapter starts with general description of the protected area that highlights its distinctive characteristics. This is supported by an amenable text and a representative sample of illustrations.