Last week, the Ministry of Ecology of Misiones conducted two environmental control operations with patrols and aerial monitoring to prevent illegal activities and reduce the risk of forest fires.
The actions were concentrated in Lake Urugua-í and in protected areas of the central and southern province. Both park rangers and police and brigade members participated in the deployment.
The environmental control operation carried out by the province included land and water patrols in sensitive areas due to their biodiversity.
The authorities’ goal is to discourage illegal activities that could harm the native fauna and flora.
Ecology explained that these tasks aim to protect the natural resources and reinforce surveillance during the summer season.
In particular, native forests and provincial parks were a priority.
How the environmental control operations were conducted in Lake Urugua-í
Last Friday, park rangers from the Protected Landscape Lake Urugua-í and the Puerto Península Provincial Park conducted a broad preventive patrol. Additionally, the environmental police also collaborated in the operation.
The procedure covered approximately 90 kilometers by water and 200 kilometers by land. The main objective was to detect illegal nets and other harmful practices.
As a result, the personnel managed to seize about 1500 meters of nets of various sizes. They also confiscated inflated cameras used for illegal hunting.
Additionally, they destroyed a wooden boat used for illegal activity. The nets were deposited at the Lake Urugua-í post, according to the Ministry.
This first environmental control operation sought to halt illegal fishing and prevent its impact on various species and habitats. The actions also reinforced the care of the lake perimeter.
Key elements of the deployment included:
- Constant aquatic patrols
- Extensive land patrols
- Seizure of illegal nets
- Coordination with provincial security forces
Aerial monitoring and fire prevention
On the other hand, also last week -though on Thursday- Ecology deployed a comprehensive flight to monitor the state of the forest mass and detect early fire outbreaks.
This occurs in response to the extreme fire alert currently affecting the province.
The operation was carried out aboard a helicopter of the Misiones Police and involved agents related to conservation and forest control.
The patrol included park ranger Onésimo Olivera and brigade member Mario Escobar, along with engineers Mateo Sosa and Rodrigo Castillo. Then, the technical team assessed risks.
During the flyover, the personnel observed native forests, protected areas, and areas of influence. The preliminary diagnosis detected only three small smoke columns.
According to reports, these columns were presumably linked to burning of harvest residues on rural properties. No active fires in development were identified.
The flight included parks such as Fachinal, de la Sierra, Salto Encantado, and the Yabebiry Stream Basin. The jungle areas showed good moisture conditions.
In grasslands, a more critical condition was observed, in line with the season, although within controlled parameters. The outposts remained operational with active guards.
The environmental control operation also allowed for the recording of flight paths and points of interest. This strengthened control and prevention throughout the province.
Misiones thus reinforced a comprehensive strategy with surveillance on land, water, and air. Environmental conservation and prevention were the central axes of the official deployment.
