Wetland ecological restoration: the Parana River Delta case

KALESNIK F, R VICARI, P ACEÑOLAZA , H SIROLLI, L BONAN, L IRIBARREN, M RAMELLO, J VALLE, R BÓ

Conferencia; IV Iberoamerican and Caribean Conferences on Ecological restoration; 2015

It?s recommended to maintain the hydrological regime of the different areas of the ParanaRiver Delta, avoiding the use of dikes and embankments and the clogging of naturalwaterways and drains, especially in large scale. This is essential for maintaining the ecologicalintegrity of its wetlands. The conservation and restoration of the Parana River Delta environment and plant speciesthrough the development of basic research on native forest relict patches and secondaryforests will contribute to the recovery of the native plant and animal species diversity. Applied investigations on the management of secondary forests should be encouraged, raisingawareness among the different social actors in the Parana Delta islands about the importanceof their conservation as a measure of coast protection, conservation of endangered speciessuch as the dusky-legged guan and recovery of native tree species. Discuss with the authorities of the Buenos Aires province about the importance of includingsecondary forests into the ?Law on minimum budget for native forests environmentalprotection?. The environmental education programs represent a capacitation proposal for institutions andisland inhabitants that will help to create conscience of wetland conservation. The development of new innovative and sustainable forest production strategies can lead tothe conservation of wetlands? functions and values, as well as to create new jobs, for example,setting up native tree nurseries. The transformation of marshes into forestations results in an increase in carbon emissions tothe atmosphere that far exceeds its storage by wood accrual in plantations. In the last 10 years the intense cattle raising, the real state mega-developments andregasification ports, among others, are producing an irreversible damage that, in case of notceasing, will provoke the permanent loss of Parana Delta wetlands functions and values. We recommend the implementation of preventive management measures to control majorfires like those that occurred in 2008 in the region of the Paraná River Delta. While the 54.4% of the region is under the Protected Area (PA) status (3 national PA; 11Provincial PA; 12 municipal PA; 8 private or mixed), it?s important to stand out that less than1% of the PA count with an acceptable degree of regulation ?(PIECAS, 2011)?. Based on the previous item, it becomes necessary to take urgent measures to ensure thatnational, provincial and municipal governments comply with the law, ensuring the correctmanagement of the PA. We propose to continue the integration of PA to different International Socio-EnvironmentalProtection Systems, in addition to the two existing ones: the Reserva Natural EstrictaOtamendi under the Ramsar Convention and the Reserva de Biosfera Delta del Paraná underthe Worldwide Network of Biosphere Reserves, of the Men and Biosphere Program ? MaB ?UNESCO. It?s needed to propose a new PARADIGM of ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTENTABILITY in theLower Parana Delta, proposing the urgent necessity of Ecological Conservation andRestoration of wetland environments.