Laguna Blanca National Park

The Laguna Blanca National Park (strictly Laguna Blanca National Park and Reserve) is a protected natural area located in the department of Zapala in the west center of the province of Neuquén in Argentina. The area occupies an area of 11,250 hectares. The surface of the Laguna Blanca National Park is subdivided into two management areas: a national park with 8,213 ha and a national reserve with 3,038 ha.

General characteristics

The territory of the national park is a rectangle, with sides 15 km and 7.5 km."The purpose of creating the national park was to protect the ecosystem of Laguna Blanca, which houses one of the most abundant populations of black-necked swans, along with a wide variety of other waterfowl. It also protects a wide sector of representative terrestrial ecosystems of the Patagonian steppe". The protection of this area is also due to the fact that it has important archaeological sites of Mapuche origin. These remains are scattered and include small fragments of ceramics belonging to vessels and some arrowheads and scrapers (quite preserved pre-ceramic industry), pestles made with volcanic lava, as well as a large quantity of splinters, made of obsidian (volcanic glass). and various silicas.

The White Lagoon is above sea level at 1,230 meters and has an approximate area of 1,700 hectares with a maximum depth of 10 meters. The southwestern limit of the national park cuts Laguna Blanca in two of its arms, which are outside the protected area. Another 8 smaller lagoons are within the national park, including the Verde, Jabón, Antonio, del Molle, del Hoyo and part of the Cuero lagoons. Two streams with little flow reach the lagoon: the Llano Blanco and the Pichi-Ñireco. The two main elevations of the park are the La Laguna hill and the Mellizo Sud hill.

Previous story

Until the 18th century the territory was inhabited by the Mapuches.

The Mapuches made all their hunting tools with material from the site, they used rock, bones and wood. The ancient inhabitants fed on hunting and fishing, taking advantage of the riches of the lagoon, nearby they had the araucaria forests. They collected fruits and had as their preferred food the guanaco that inhabited the entire area.

In July 1939, the mayor of the Lanín national reserve, surveyor Carlos A. Sambrizzi, submitted a report to the National Parks directory proposing the creation of the Laguna Blanca national reserve, stating that: (...) Due to its geographical situation, extension and special characteristics, it can be considered unique in South America, which proves its extraordinary population of swans. On July 20, 1939, the board of directors asked the Ministry of Agriculture to issue the: (...) necessary decree, declaring the area of lots 21, 24 and 25 of Section XX of the National Territory of Neuquén a Reserve destined for a National Park (...)

Creation and legislation

By means of Decree No. 63601 of May 31, 1940, the Laguna Blanca National Reserve was created with the purpose of creating a national park.

Art. 1 - Unzip the south west corner of the lot No. 25 of Section XX of the Territory of Neuquén, reserved for public utility purposes by decree of 27 September 1911, for National Park, and the rest of the lot No. 25 in question with the same destination, and lots No. 21 and 24 of the same Section and Territory.
Art. 2° - The Directorate of National Parks shall have the land referred to in Article 1 for the purposes of the conservation of the existing fauna and flora, and shall proceed to determine which area will be indispensable to the purpose of the reservation and the definitive surface of it.

Decree Law No. 9504/1945 of April 28, 1945 declared the reserve a national park:

Art. 8 - Créase the "Laguna Blanca" National Park in the lands reserved for that destination by Decree No. 63.601 of May 31, 1940, whose definitive limits will set the Executive Power on the proposal of the General Administration of National Parks and Tourism.

Decree no. 12054/1946 of April 30, 1946 ordered the text of law no..° 13895 sanctioned on September 30, 1949.

The province of Neuquén was created by law no. 14408 sanctioned on June 16, 1955 and promulgated by decree no.

ARTICLE 10. - The property located within their respective territorial limits that belong to the public or private domain of the Nation shall be transferred to the domain of the new provinces except those that need to be used for national public use or service, in which case the reservation shall be established by the National Act within three years of the promulgation of the present.

Decree Law No. 654/1958 of January 21, 1958 provided:

Art. 5o - The following national parks and natural monuments will continue to belong to the domain of the National State under Article 10 of Law 14.408: (...) (b) Laguna Blanca National Park, in the province of Neuquén, with the limits indicated by Decree No. 63.691, dated 31 May 1940;

Law No. 19292, sanctioned and promulgated on October 11, 1971, reiterated the declaration of a national park and created the Laguna Blanca national reserve:

Article 1.- The areas covered within the limits that are expressed later and according to the following name shall be declared National Park:
7 - Laguna Blanca National Park.
Art. 2°- Please note that the areas covered within the limits set forth below are set out in the National Reserve and in accordance with the following name:
12 - Laguna Blanca National Reserve.
Art. 3. The limits of the National Parks referred to in the first article are: (...) 7. - LAGUNA BLANCA NATIONAL PARK
Starting from the south corner of the 25th lot, common to the 26th and 28th lot of section XX of the Province of Neuquén, the limit is determined by the common limit to the 25th and 28th lot, heading northwest; until reaching the 1297 point of the 3969-19 plank. From this point and towards Northeast you will reach the 1279 point of the aforementioned plancheta. From this point and also in the northeast direction will reach the point 1290. From here, heading south-east to point 1,376, on the boundary line of lots 20 and 21 of section XX. From this point the boundary will continue south-east by the common limit to lots 20 and 21 until you find the common corner to lots 19, 20, 21 and 22. From here and south-west will follow the common limit to lots 21, 24, 25 and 22, 23 and 26, all of them from section XX to find the starting point of this description.
Art. 4°- The limits of the National Reserves referred to in Article 2 are: (...) 12. - NATIONAL RESERVE LAGUNA BLANCA
Starting from the 1297 point of the 3969-19 planchette, the boundary will continue northwest by the common boundary to the 25th and 28th section of the Province of Neuquén, until it finds the corner common to the aforementioned 25th and 28. From here we continue north-east through the batch limit 25, 24 and 21 of section XX, with lots 27, 26, 23 and 22 of section XXI until we find the common corner of the 20 and 21 lot of section XX. From here onwards south-east by the common limit to lots 20 and 21 until you find the 1,376 point of the aforementioned square. From here heading northwest to point 1290. Then he will continue southwest to the 1279 point and then follow the same course to the starting point of the present description.

Decree No. 2149/1990 of October 10, 1990 designated part of the national park as a strict nature reserve.

Article 1 — Créanse las siguientes BOOKS NATURALES ESTRICTAS (RNE) en tierras del domain de la Nación: (...)
12) RNE Laguna Blanca, covering Laguna Blanca National Park in the Province of Neuquén.

The limits of the strict nature reserve were modified by decree no. 453/1994 of March 23, 1994, which reduced it and created the wild nature reserve.

In 1993 the General Management Plan for the Laguna Blanca National Park was drawn up and in 2017 it was updated as the Laguna Blanca National Park Management Plan.

Flora and fauna

Black-necked swan.

Laguna Blanca is included in the Patagonian Phytogeographical Province (or Patagonian Steppe). Within this it includes the western Patagonian subregions (Andean-Patagonian domain) and Payunia. The park is dominated by low, thorny bushy steppe, with more xerophytic shrubs than grasses. The shrub steppe can be considered the climax community, at least in the rather flat areas. At the top of the highest hills there are components of the southern high Andean phytogeographic district.

There are 17 species of native mammals and two exotic ones: the European hare (Lepus europaeus) and the rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus). Of the 119 species of birds sighted, 25 are nesting.

Administration

By resolution no. which is headed by a designated intendant, on which 4 departments depend (Administration; Works and Maintenance; National Park Rangers; Conservation and Public Use) and the Division of Dispatch and Desk of Entrances, Exits, and Notifications. The administration is based in the city of Zapala, located 30 km from the national park.