The next May 22 and 23, the city of Villa Ocampo will host the National Wetlands Forum, a space for exchanging experiences and public policies aimed at the preservation and sustainable use to protect ecosystems.
It will be the first edition organized by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change of the province of Santa Fe together with the Municipality of Villa Ocampo, which represents a new institutional commitment to the national environmental agenda.
During two days, technical experts, scientists, civil society organizations, and officials from different provinces will share tools, diagnostics, and management cases that allow to improve the governance of wetlands, focusing on planning, inventory, conservation, and sustainable productive development to protect ecosystems.
“It is urgent to strengthen these spaces of collective construction, because the defense of wetlands cannot be done alone,” highlighted Minister Enrique Estévez, who will participate in the opening ceremony along with Mayor Cristian Marega of Villa Ocampo.
The choice of Villa Ocampo as the venue is not random: the city is the creator of the National Wetlands Forum, and all editions have been held there. Additionally, the locality is immersed in the Ramsar Site Jaaukanigás, one of the most relevant wetland areas in the country for its biodiversity.
The program of the National Wetlands Forum includes panels on co-governance experiences, provincial and national inventories, species conservation projects, Ramsar sites, and productive practices compatible with conservation. There will also be a permanent exhibition “Paraná Extremo” and an optional field trip to the Municipal Reserve El Pindó, guided by local specialists.
From Santa Fe, the Forum aims not only to raise awareness of the threats facing wetlands but also to build solutions from the territory to protect ecosystems, promoting an inclusive approach that recognizes their role in climate regulation, water storage, biodiversity, and the cultural identity of riverside communities.
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Schedule of the National Wetlands Forum
Thursday, May 22
- 8:00 am | Accreditation
- 8:30 am | Opening ceremony with words from Alejandro Luciani, Minister of Environment Enrique Estévez, Mayor Cristian Marega, and provincial legislative representatives.
Exchange Spaces:
- 10:00 am | Wetlands Management: experiences of co-governance. Participants: Enrique Estévez (Santa Fe), Federico Cacace (San Luis), and Cristian Marega.
- 11:00 am | Presentation of the permanent exhibition Paraná Extremo, by Jorgelina Hiba.
- 11:30 am | Wetlands Inventory. Speakers: Laura Benzaquén, Vanina Pietragalla, Alejandro Giraudo. Coordinator: Germán Falo.
- 2:30 pm | Protecting wetlands for our common future. With Borja Baguette Pereiro, Rewilding, and the team from the Río Paraná Aquarium. Coordinator: Mauro Pergazere.
- 4:00 pm | Internationally important wetlands: Ramsar Sites. With Laura Benzaquén, Luciana Manelli, Guillermo Lier, and Jeremías Mancini. Coordinator: Alba Imhoff.
6:00 pm | End of the day.
8:00 pm | Optional camaraderie dinner at the El Irupé Hunting and Fishing Club.
Friday, May 23
- 9:00 am | Production and conservation in wetlands: keys to sustainable management. Speakers: Ana Pia Rabufetti, Leticia Mesa, Rubén Quintana, and Valeria Sfara. Coordinator: Milvana Yaccuzzi.
- 10:45 am | Presentation of conclusions.
11:30 am | Optional trip to the El Pindó Municipal Reserve, with a local guide and lunch at the El Irupé Club.
2:30 pm | Forum closing.
