Environmental organizations and scientific references warn that there is a natural reserve in danger in Córdoba. It concerns the La Calera Defense Natural Reserve, a key protected area in the west of the province.
The conflict arose after the recent signing of an agreement between the provincial government and the Ministry of Defense of the Nation. It could enable the disposal of sectors of the military premises for new uses, including urbanistic purposes.
Natural reserve in danger in Córdoba: what is being demanded
The La Calera Defense Natural Reserve covers more than 5000 hectares and protects valuable mountain ecosystems of the Dry Chaco and Espinal regions.
It has a rich biodiversity that includes native species, watercourses, and vegetal coverage crucial for climate change mitigation and regional water supply.
The signed agreement, without public consultation or known environmental impact studies, contemplates the possibility of fragmenting the protected area for uses not compatible with conservation.
Various organizations, such as the Cordoban Environmentalists Network, argue that this decision jeopardizes the ecological balance of the region and violates the environmental protection commitments made by the State.
According to specialists, urban development encroaching on the reserve would imply a loss of habitat for vulnerable species, increased pressure on water resources, and a setback in sustainable land planning.
Furthermore, they denounce that the principles of access to information and citizen participation enshrined in the Escazú Agreement, in force in Argentina, were not respected.
From a scientific and academic perspective, they also demand that any modification to the La Calera Reserve must be evaluated under strict technical and legal criteria. It should not be based on unilateral decisions with real estate purposes.
The area also plays a strategic role as a biological corridor and as a buffer zone against extreme weather events.
Environmental groups demand the nullity of the signed agreement and a public hearing to ensure transparency in the process. Simultaneously, awareness campaigns have started on social media under the hashtags #SaveLaCalera and #TheReserveIsNotForSale.
The biodiversity of the reserve
The mountainous area is covered by forests in a suitable state of conservation, largely thanks to the almost 70 years it was guarded by the Argentine Army. This forest is mainly composed of molles (Lithraea molleoides) and quebracho colorado trees (Schinopsis marginata).
The lower areas, corresponding to the district of Algarrobo del Espinal, have suffered a significant impact due to agriculture, but properly managed, they could soon recover their original nature.
The existence of the protected area enhances the survival chances of the local native fauna, which are under considerable pressure.
The presence of the puma (Puma concolor), colocolo (Leopardus geoffroyi), Chacoan mara (Mazama gouazoubira), lesser grison (Galictis cuja), grison (Conepatus chinga), and screaming hairy armadillo (Chaetophractus vellerosus) among mammals has been confirmed.
In addition, there are the peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), blue-black grosbeak (Cyanocompsa brissonii), black woodpecker (Dryocopus schulzi), and rufous-thighed hawk (Accipiter erythronemius), the chestnut-capped blackbird (Poospiza ornata), the black-faced ibis (Theristicus melanopis), among birds.
Reptiles are also present in the reserve. Notably, the painted frog (Melanophryniscus stelzneri stelzneri) and the mountain tree frog (Hypsiboas cordobae) stand out.
As a strategic area, this reserve is one of the largest land areas without changes in land use in the Greater Córdoba. It has native forest in very good conservation status, serving as a green lung in the region.
