Argentina postoupila o další krůček k vyhlášení Národního parku Mount Leon

18.8.2004
BUENOS AIRES [WWF]
Autor: Carolina Diotti, tel: +540 114 331 3631, l. 46

Argentina’s House of Representatives today sanctioned the creation of Mount Leon National Park, whose land was donated to the country by Fundación Vida Silvestre Argentina, WWF’s partner in Argentina, in November 2002.

"We are very proud that the House of Representatives has taken this step,” says Javier Corcuera, Director of the Fundación Vida Silvestre Argentina. “Now we only need the Senate to approve this law so that Mount Leon finally becomes a national park.”

Located in the southern province of Santa Cruz, Mount Leon is home to unique biodiversity, including fur seals, bats, and a colony of over 60,000 Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus). Altogether, at least 68 bird species, 20 mammal species, and four reptile species have been recorded in the area.

Mount Leon is located within two of WWF’s Global 200 Ecoregions: the Patagonian Southwest Atlantic Coast and the Patagonian Steppe. Argentina presently has no marine protected areas, and only 0.1 per cent of the Patagonian Steppe is legally protected.

The area’s natural resources have long been exploited. The site is one of the most important guano deposits in the country, with some 10,000 tonnes extracted between 1933 and 1960. A large sealing post was also located in the area, with fur seals killed up until the second half of the 1900s. Such exploitation throughout the ecoregion resulted in a dramatic decline of fur seal populations.

During the 20th century, Mount Leon became an important sheep farming area, and at times held over 40,000 sheep. The last owners of the property, La Limitada, sold the land to Fundación Vida Silvestre Argentina in 2001.

Designation of Mount Leon National Park will not only help conserve the area’s biodiversity and culture, but also help develop tourism and stimulate regional development, bringing benefits to local communities. Funds from the World Bank will help the future national park to provide more and better infrastructure to receive visitors to the area’s beaches. In addition, a visitor’s centre will be created, explaining the area’s diverse values and history. Footbridges, viewpoints, and other services will also be developed along the coast.

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