This project aims to keep supporting a conservation effort in the somuncura plateau, patagonia, argentina, by increasing the habitat for endangered species, reducing the human-wildlife conflict, and…

This Project Grant award from the U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Region 9 Headquarters supports a conservation effort in the Somuncura Plateau in Patagonia, Argentina. The $277,560 grant, awarded on October 1, 2023, aims to increase habitat for endangered species, reduce human-wildlife conflict, and promote ecotourism as a sustainable activity.

The key products and services to be delivered include: 1) managing water sources to protect them from trampling, overgrazing, and invasive fish species; 2) continuing implementation of shepherd dogs and an awareness campaign to reduce the use of poisons and assess predator damage; and 3) continuing work to promote nature tourism as an alternative and sustainable economic activity. The grant is funded through the Latin America and Caribbean Regional program (CFDA 15.640), which supports innovative training programs for future resource managers. The Universidad Nacional Del Centro De La Provincia De Buenos Aires (UNICEN) is the grantee responsible for executing the project.

This project aims to keep supporting a conservation effort in the somuncura plateau, patagonia, argentina, by increasing the habitat for endangered species, reducing the human-wildlife conflict, and promoting ecotourism as a profitable and sustainable activity. This project is intended to conserve the biodiversity of the plateau, with an emphasis on threatened and conflictive species, by addressing the impacts of invasive fish species, habitat reduction, prosecution of predators, and unsustainable activities. We plan three sets of specific actions to reduce the main threats and promote the sustainable development of the somuncura plateau. The first set involves the management of water sources, specifically protecting them from trampling and overgrazing and limiting the access of invasive fish species. In the second set, we will continue our implementation of shepherd dogs and we will continue the strong awareness campaign to reduce or eliminate the use of poisons and assess the damage of predators in the region. Finally, in the third set, we will continue working on promoting nature tourism as an alternative and sustainable activity. The different decision-makers of the region collaborated and participated in the writing of this initiative. With this set of actions, we hope to significantly impact the conservation of the biodiversity of the somuncura plateau.