In an unprecedented measure for the province of Buenos Aires, landowners in Bahía Samborombón —the last refuge in Buenos Aires of the Pampas Deer— will be able to access a tax exemption on Rural and Subrural Real Estate Tax if they implement management plans to protect this emblematic species.
The initiative, promoted by Deputy Micaela Olivetto, became law with broad support from the Buenos Aires Legislature, after two years of debate and coordination among political sectors, the Ministry of Environment, and Wildlife Conservation Foundation Argentina.
A staggered benefit: up to 100% exemption in areas managed for conservation
According to the regulations, landowners who develop management plans compatible with livestock production and deer conservation may receive an initial 50% discount on the tax on areas designated for species protection, a benefit that will progressively increase to reach 100%.
This fiscal tool adds to the existing ordinances in General Lavalle and Tordillo, which provide tax exemptions at the municipal level for fields committed to biodiversity.
“This investment in incentives is much lower than the cost the State would have in conserving the species on its own”, explained Sebastián Fermani, Conservation Director of the Wildlife Conservation Foundation.
The Pampas Deer: a species in critical condition
Historically present in millions in the country’s grasslands, today the Pampas Deer (Ozotoceros bezoarticus) survives with fewer than 2,500 individuals in Argentina, distributed in four isolated subpopulations. The most compromised is that of Bahía Samborombón, where less than 250 individuals remain, affected by:
- Habitat loss and degradation.
- Poaching.
- Diseases transmitted by livestock.
- Invasive exotic species, such as the feral pig and axis deer.
The species was declared a Natural Monument in Buenos Aires, San Luis, Santa Fe, and Corrientes, although over 80% of its population remains outside protected areas.
Production and conservation: a possible alliance
Recent studies in fields adjacent to Campos del Tuyú National Park demonstrate that proper management of grasslands and grazing allows for the species’ recovery.
A concrete example is the case of Estancia El Erandio in General Lavalle, which — thanks to the commitment of its owners and the implementation of good practices — was the first field to obtain a tax exemption as a pilot of the new compatible management model.
“We need more producers to join to show that we can reverse the biodiversity loss curve without giving up productive activity”, highlighted Fermani. He added that the future goal is to elevate the deer’s status to National Natural Monument, consolidating it as a living symbol of the Pampas and Argentine biodiversity.
A pioneering legislation for an urgent opportunity
With a population decreasing at an estimated rate of 4% annually over the last three decades, the approval of this law represents a turning point in Buenos Aires environmental policy.
Its implementation seeks to build an effective coexistence between the conservation of threatened species and agricultural production, reinforcing habitat connectivity, the participation of rural actors, and the enhancement of a species that is key to grassland ecosystems.
Cover photo: ArgentíNat
