Los Arrayanes National Park

National Parks

National parks in Argentina have existed since the beginning of last century, when Francisco Pascasio Moreno received a prize because of his work on the limits between Argentina and Chile. This prize consisted of a wide part of the Andean region, located around the present area of Puerto Blest. At that moment, Moreno gave back part of the territory to the government, on condition that it was kept "for the enjoyment of present and future generations". He also expressed his wish about not affecting the environment and making only the necessary buildings for the visitors.
In 1922 that territory was called "Parque Nacional del Sud" (South National Park). It is the present Nahuel Huapi NP, created in 1934, at the same time as the National Parks Direction was founded.
Nowadays, the National Parks Administration is in charge of the management of every protected area in the country. In Patagonia, almost the whole Andean corridor is under its jurisdiction. Other places, smaller but with natural or culture values (as in northern Neuquén), are protected by the provinces.
Tourism and recreation based on sustainable management of natural resources have played an outstanding role. Ecotourism, in particular, hopes to achieve a symbiosis between tourism and the preservation of nature.

Lanín:

Area: 380.000 ha. It was created in 1937 in order to protect the genetic reserve of several endangered species: araucaria, rauli and the huemul and pudu (endemic deer), apart from recent volcanic activity. Main office: San Martín de los Andes, province of Neuquén.

Nahuel Huapi:

Area: 705.000 ha. It also protects the Andean forest and important basins.

Los Arrayanes:

Area: 1.800 ha. It is the smallest. It occupies almost the whole Quetrihué peninsula (prov. of Neuquén) and it can be visited by land or water from Villa La Angostura or Bariloche. It was created in 1971 in order to preserve the sublime pure arrayanes (myrtles) forest in the south of the peninsula.

Lago Puelo:

Area: 25.651 ha. It was created in 1971 in the NW of the province of Chubut. Its basin drains to the Pacific and it is an exponent of the Valdivian rainforest, rare in Argentina.

Los Alerces:

Area: 261.025 ha. It is also located in the NW of Chubut. Created in 1937, it occupies a great part of the Futaleufú river basin, which drains to the Pacific. It holds an ancient forest, with alerces (larches) of 3.000 years old.

Argentina: Norte Neuquino, Caviahue - Copahue, Villa Pehuenia, Aluminé,

Junín de los Andes, San Martín de los Andes, Villa Traful, Villa La Angostura,

Bariloche, El Bolsón, Lago Puelo, El Hoyo, Esquel, Trevelin.

Chile: Pucón, Villarrica, Temuco, Valdivia, Puerto Montt - Puerto Varas.