Visiting protected areas
Visiting a national or provincial park or nature reserve provides an unparalleled chance to embody our sense of responsibility and care for the natural world.
When you enter a protected area, you feel like you've arrived at a unique, natural sanctuary. These are such special places on our planet that visiting them requires utmost respect and care.
Parks and reserves are established to protect vast forests, mountains, glaciers, even tiny insects and plants, because of their immense ecological and biodiversity value.
El Chaltén, nestled within the awe-inspiring Los Glaciares National Park, Argentina, is a haven for ecotourism enthusiasts. Its breathtaking beauty draws visitors from all corners of the globe. By visiting this mountain paradise, you can actively contribute to its conservation and preservation.
The importance of preserving natural environments
As mentioned earlier, the primary objective of protected areas is to safeguard the diversity of each ecosystem. However, what exactly are these areas safeguarded from?
There are numerous factors that can have a positive or negative impact on a protected area, but human activities (such as tourism, livestock farming, and industry) are often the primary drivers of significant transformations or even irreversible consequences. In fact, the primary objective of establishing a protected area is to halt the decline of one or more species threatened with extinction due to human activities.
There are numerous other factors that threaten the ecological balance of a specific area or ecoregion, but human activity is often a direct or indirect cause. For instance, when an exotic animal or plant species is introduced into an ecosystem, it can initiate an unforeseen and uncontrollable chain of events that can escalate into a catastrophic situation. Introduced species inevitably compete with native species for limited resources, potentially transmitting novel diseases to them, preying on them, and causing their population to decline or even vanish. Moreover, they often lack natural predators that can regulate their population growth.
If human activities are one of the greatest threats to protected areas, we must understand how to behave when we visit them.
The primary objective of a park or nature reserve is to safeguard the irreplaceable value of its ecosystem and biodiversity
Human activities pose one of the greatest threats to protected areas. Therefore, it is crucial that we understand how to behave when we visit these areas
Park ranger. Photo: National Parks Administration
The park ranger serves as the bridge between the protected area, its administration, and the local community.
The park rangers
The park ranger, a public servant, is responsible for managing the tasks required to care for each protected area. They also serve as a bridge between these areas, the community, and the administration. Therefore, it’s crucial to pay close attention to their explanations, directions, and advice. Additionally, if available, always visit the Visitor Centres or Interpretation Centres for further information and guidance
Whether you visit for a few hours or stay for several days, hiking its trails and camping overnight, you’ll always encounter signs and notices reminding you that you’re in a protected area and must adhere to specific “rules of coexistence” related to your activities.
Are so many indications necessary?
Yes, without a doubt. In fact, it could even be argued that they often fall short of adequately covering the vast areas designated for tourist activities. Moreover, it is not always feasible to have a park ranger present at every location and time.
Forest fire in Epuyén, Chubut. Photo: Gustavo Calfin © Infobae
Your visit, leaving no traces
In Patagonia, there are well-known instances of forest fires caused either by negligence or accident in remote locations far from conventional tourist routes.
That is why it is so important that we never stray from the established paths and boundaries. And when we have to relieve ourselves and there is no latrine or chemical toilet nearby, we should do so far from water courses, burying our waste to hide it as best as possible. And although toilet paper is biodegradable, it is not very aesthetically pleasing; we do not want to find ourselves with unpleasant surprises in the middle of a forest or near our path.
In Patagonia, particularly in this region, instances of forest fires resulting from negligence or accidents are quite prevalent.
Protected areas offer an unparalleled opportunity to showcase our commitment and care for the natural world
Taking care of our Nature, in first person
In cases where you use free camping sites without services, you must exercise extreme caution. Understand that these rules are not only in place to protect the national park itself, but also to ensure that your experience and that of future visitors will always be one of discovering the same place, with its beauty and attractions intact
It’s crucial to recognize that you’re a “visiting species” and should minimize your impact on the environment. Never feed birds or animals and always carry your waste back with you.
Protected areas provide an unparalleled chance to demonstrate our responsibility and care for the natural world.