One of the characteristics of Patagonia is the concentration of protected natural areas, whether they be National Parks, Natural Monuments or National or Provincial Reserves.

The National Parks and Reserves alone add up to 2,273,450 hectares.

This protection regime of such immense natural areas certainly is an important factor in the development of tourism.

The restrictions imposed have made it possible to preserve great extensions of woods and stopped contamination from reaching menacing levels, as is happening in other lake districts or rivers which are not so carefully protected. Their existence guarantees that both the local and foreign eco-tourist will find the quality environment he expects to find

THE PAST

Visionaries who made us the pioneers in the protection of nature in the Americas

The birth of the National Parks organization in Argentina goes back to the beginning of the XX century. At that time there was an international awakening to the need of preserving certain tracts of land with special scenic values to keep them from being destroyed or indiscriminately exploited.A clear message to that effect could be seen when the Executive required the National Congress to pass a law protecting the waterfalls on the Iguazu River. The starting point of the request was the report that had been written by the landscape architect Carlos Thays.

Then came a donation made by one of the most mesmerizing personalities of the time, Francisco P. Moreno (1852-1919). He was an explorer, scientist, statesman and philanthropist, and in each of these activities he imprinted his own characteristic style.

The scientific data gleamed, and as a result of his explorations through Patagonia, he earned the authority to be Argentina's representative in the international border dispute with Chile. This was eventually settled in 1902, and Argentina sovereignty over 40.000 sq. km. of territory was respected. In acknowledgment of his work the government gave him a land grant. On November 6, 1903 Moreno wrote to the Minister of Agriculture Wenceslao Escalante: "In my wanderings in the south during those years I saw exceptionally beautiful places and more than once I pondered on the importance that the Nation set aside parts of it for present and future generations. Along these lines, and invoking the law which cedes me a portion of land three leagues square, I request that it be preserved by the Nation as a public park. It is my wish that in making this donation the landscape will not be altered and development should be limited to works conducive to the comfort of visitors."

His donation really allowed for the creation of the Parque Nacional del Sur in 1922. In 1934, a law drawn up by Ezequiel Bustillo created the National Parks Service and two national parks, Iguazu and Nahuel Huapi, the latter was born on the nucleus of the Parque Nacional del Sur. Moreno's gesture made Argentina the third country in the Americas to have National Parks. To honor Moreno, the 6th of November has been named the National Parks Day.On the 6th of November 2003 Argentina celebrated its First Century of National Parks.

THE PRESENT

Caring for the natural and cultural resources of the country is in the benefit of all of us.

Accelerating world population growth and the ever growing needs of mankind naturally put great pressure on natural areas. At the same time, humanity needs wild spaces, which ensure the provision of clean water and fresh air, areas suitable for education, tourism, research and enjoyment, sources of new assets whether they be foods or medicines, and protection of scenic landscapes and historic sites.
The rich treasure of flora and fauna in Argentina must be conserved as part of our heritage to be handed down to future generations. This initiative is explicit in the National Constitution and is part of the duty the Federal Government assumed when signing the Biodiversity Agreement of Rio(1992).
National Parks have proved to be the best way to preserve nature in its original state and at the same time to allow for its public use. Protection of self-sustaining samples of each of the biomes of the country is the best, cheapest and most realistic way of preserving the viable populations of native plants and animals.