On September 2, of 2010, the Center for Human Rights and Environment (CEDHA), with other local organizations and residents of the area, presented to the municipality of Alta Gracia[1], a complaint warning the athorities of two cases of illegal deforestation of native forest in the northwest of the city, related to the construction of a golf course and a gated.
Both projects involve the extension of the city golf course, and the construction of a gated community on its vicinity, avobe approximately 67ha of native forest. To this days, there have already been dismantled about 30ha. The project has environmental clearance from the municipality.
Deforested areas are valuable to the city and to the hole province of Córdoba, for their biodiversity values, and its protective role of watersheds in the area. Neighbors say that the interventions produced by this enterprise, and those that could result from other projects on track for approval; lead to significant impacts on fauna, dangerous diversion of water courses, and possible landslides.
In the complaint CEDHA stressed that the authorities didn’t carry out the due control, according to its responsability in that area. In turn, the authorities were required to revoke the ilegal authorization, since the proyects don’t comply with federal and provincial regulatory framework, including the fact that communities were not consulted and no public input was or requested considered.
Along with the expansion of the agricultural frontier, the developments are the biggest threat to the forest. The rate of deforestation in Córdoba is one of the highest in South America. This province is part of the Gran Chaco, the second largest forest ecosystem in South America after the Amazon. Currently, although Argentina has a national law on protection of native forests adopted in 2007, lack of control by local authorities produced a total helplessness of the native forest against deforestation.
For More Information:
Alejandro Vera
www.leydebosquescordoba.com.ar
www.cedha.org.ar