El Municipio de Ensenada avanza con la extension of the Coastal Walk in Punta Lara, installing sheet piles and expanding the defense wall against the river.
The intervention seeks to protect the locality from floods, improve infrastructure, and consolidate tourism. However, the NGO Nuevo Ambiente reported that the work is being carried out without disseminated environmental impact studies and on an area of high ecological value.
Environmental Criticism
The organization argues that the construction:
- Alters the natural dynamics of the coast.
- Destroys beaches and riparian vegetation.
- Affects wetlands and strategic ecosystems.
- Is carried out without citizen participation or official information on authorizations.
For Nuevo Ambiente, the Punta Lara shoreline is one of the most sensitive sectors of the Buenos Aires coastal front and should have a comprehensive evaluation before any intervention.
Municipal Defense
The Secretary of Public Management, Agustín Duscovich, stated that the work is part of a comprehensive policy to recover and protect the coast. According to the official:
- Old private campsites were cleared to convert them into public spaces.
- The Coastal Park was created with landscaped areas, bathrooms, tables, and grills.
- The first stage was executed from the Néstor Kirchner Viewpoint and now progresses with an additional 800 meters towards Parador 2.
- The works have studies and approvals, are financed with municipal funds, and are carried out through public bidding.
The Coastal Walk
The Punta Lara Coastal Walk offers 14 km of free and open coast. It functions as a defense against river floods and provides a safe space for tourism, sports, and family gatherings.
It includes sidewalks, bike paths, railings, and LED lighting, transforming into a hub for tourism and commercial development.
Ecological Value of the Area
The Punta Lara coast is part of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and protects unique environments:
- Gallery forest: natural corridor for animals and seeds.
- Wetlands and reed beds: absorb water from storm surges and filter pollutants.
- Bird biodiversity: one of the points with the highest concentration in the province.
The conservation of these ecosystems is key to:
- Filtering water and preventing floods.
- Maintaining natural balance in the face of urban growth.
- Preventing coastal erosion and capturing carbon dioxide (CO₂).
Open Debate
While the machines advance, the conflict persists:
- For environmentalists, the priority is to preserve a strategic ecosystem.
- For the Municipality, the work represents an investment in safety, tourism, and public access.
The Punta Lara wall reflects the tension between urban development and environmental conservation.
The challenge is to find a balance that allows protecting the population from the river’s advance without compromising the biodiversity and ecosystems that make this coast a unique space in the region.
