History
Evolution of the Argentinian National Parks Police Argentina started the protected areas creation process in 1903. The first National Park was called “Del Sud”, and it was composed by 755,000 hectare of land. The legislation banned the felling, the slaughter of wild animals, and all sort of things that could affect the nature of the area. The National Park Direction and the Iguazú National Park were created in 1934, by the law number 12.103. That law said that lands with natural beauties or scientific interest could be declared National Parks or Reserves. The following National Parks were created in 1937 to protect wonderful landscapes: Lanin, Lago Puelo, Los Alerces, Perito Moreno and Los Glaciares.
The Administración de Parques Nacionales` police was oriented to the affirmation of the national sovereignty. The develop of border areas and the tourist activity were very important in that moment. Tourist towns were created in order to promote the tourist activity, for example Llao Llao, Catedral, La Angostura and Traful. Between the years 1940-1950 naturalist researches were developed. The main goal of these researches was the vegetation study. In this way, the scientific interest of the flora and fauna became important. Our institution contributed to Natural Science develop. The need of protect representatives sample of the argentinian biodiversity appeared in that moment. Some national parks were created in order to protect its biodiversity richness: Laguna Blanca (1940), El Rey (1948), Río Pilcomayo (1951), and Chaco (1954). And, in 1954, the Bosques Petrificados Natural monument was created in order to the same reason.
In 1967 the foresters school “Bernabé Méndez” was created, its headquarters was in Isla Victoria (Nauhel Huapi National Park). It is the only foresters school in Latin America.
During the 60´s the National Parks Tierra del Fuego (1960) and El Palmar (1966), and the Natural Reserve Formosa (1968) were created.
In 1970 a new law of National Parks was created. It make a difference between National Parks, Natural Monuments, and National Reserves. For each category there are different goals and different legislations. In this decade the Los Arrayanes National Park (1971), Baritú National Park (1974), and Lihué Calel National Park (1977) were created. In the latest of this decade the environmental education became important. Interpretation mechanism was developed in order to contribute to the environmental education and to improve the tourist visits quality. In 1980 was created the law number 22.351, law of National parks. This law is current at the moment. In this decade Calilegua National Park (1980) and Laguna de los Pozuelos Natural Monument were created.
In 1985 the National Park Administration started to develop a new strategy to involve the local communities and local governments in the protected areas planning. Plans of arrangement and support to the local communities were developed. In 1986 the “Technical net for protected areas cooperation” was born as a federal application. The net´s goal is to give technical support to a national system of protected areas. Our institution want to establish a coordinated work with the local systems of protected areas. The consensus between the national state and the local goverments is reflected in the different National Parks creation: Sierras de las Quijadas and Predelta (1991); Campo de Los Alisos (1995); Los Cardones and Quebrada del Condorito (1996); Talampaya (1997); San Guillermo (1999); Mburucuyá and Copo (2000).
In 1990 -by a presidential decree- the “strict natural reserves” were created. With this category, the strict natural reserves Otamendi, San Antonio, Colonia Benitez (recently declared as Natural Educative Reserve) , and El Leoncito (later declared as National Park) were created.
In November 2001 the Administración de Parques Nacionales Management Plan was created in order to develop a strategic planning for a long-term, because the institucional politics must not be subordinated to the government changes. This project correspond to the need of establish norms and criterions to the coherent management of the protected areas system. The Administración de Parques Nacionales wants to give a high profile to the society. The citizens can demand -in a democratic way- the compliance of the Administración de Parques Nacionales Management Plan.
During the 2004 the Monte León National Park was created. And, nowadays, theAdministración de Parques Nacionales protects 3.584.414 hectare of land, distributed in 34 protected areas. As well as the protected areas, the institution protect four species declared as Natural Monuments: Taruca, Yaguareté, Huemul and Ballena Franca Austral; and there are a National Park (Los Venados) and a National Reserve (El Nogalar de los Toldos) in creation process.
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