Ñacuñan Biosphere Reserve (Argentina)

Ñacuñan Biosphere Reserve (Argentina)

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The Ñacuñan Biosphere Reserve is located in the Argentine province of Mendoza, in the plains at the foot of the Andes. The area consists of semi-arid upland grasslands, shrubby steppe, matorral, and shrubby and herbaceous woodlands and wetlands.

Ñacuñan Biosphere Reserve

The Ñacuñan Biosphere Reserve is located in the Argentine province of Mendoza, within the Cuyo historical region, in the upland plains at the foot of the Andes.

The area consists of semi-arid upland grasslands, shrubby steppe and matorral, herbaceous woodlands and wetlands 540 m (1,770 ft) above sea level with three distinct geomorphological units (features).

Located in the western plains of Mendoza, Ñacuñan was initially created as a provincial reserve to protect the forests of Prosopis flexuosa. However, the tree has always been central to the natives of the region, in particular, due to the use of its wood.

The forests of Prosopis flexuosa survived timber exploitation in the 1930s. However, timber and hunting still constitute the main threats the Biosphere Reserve faces today.

This tree is mainly found in the gently rolling plains, along with Atriplex lamba bushes. At the same time, the depressions are mostly taken up by Larrea cuneifolia and false Rhodes grass (Trichloris crinite). There are also many tallow wood forests (Ximenia Americana).

Mammals such as the grey fox (Dusicyon griseus), puma (Felis concolor), and guanaco (Lama guanicoe), birds such as rhea (Rhea americana), martineta (Eudromia elegans) as well as reptiles such as tortoise (Geochelone chilensis) and Boa constrictor are found in the Reserve.

A site of particular historic interest is 'La Carbonera,' which contains relics of Propopis wood transformed into charcoal and some pottery and metal utensils left by the ancient human settlements.

More than 80 inhabitants of the indigenous community live in the Ñacuñan village in the transition area (1999). Therefore, many activities, such as education and public information, training courses, workshops, and research activities, have been carried out in the Biosphere Reserve to benefit the local population.

Management practices are oriented toward conservation, research and environmental education. Recent work in the Ñacuñan Biosphere Reserve concerns seed-eating birds' impact on soil-seed reserves in the Monte desert.