Sitting on the banks of Río de la Plata in the northeastern part of the Buenos Aires Province in Argentina, the Pereyra Iraola Biosphere Reserve is located between the municipalities of La Plata and Berazategui. As the last protected area of the original riverside ecosystem, it is home to the Province’s biggest biological diversity, including endangered bird species, such as the burrito colorado, (Laterallus Leucopyrrhus). Furthermore, the area is also known for its medicinal plants and underground aquifers.
The Reserve is the biggest public space of Greater Buenos Aires, which makes it a nearby leisure site for more than 13 million people, featuring mostly hiking, cycling and bird-watching activities. On the other hand, family farming provides a living for the roughly 2,500 people that live in the Reserve.
Designation date: 2007
Networks
Regional network: Red de Comités y Reservas de Biosfera de Iberoamérica y el Caribe (IberoMAB)
Ecosystem-based network:
Description
Map
Surface : 10,248 ha
- Core area(s): 4,998.05 ha
- Buffer zone(s): 791.14 ha
- Transition zone(s): 4,458.81 ha
Location: 34°50’12”S – 58°05’40”W
Administrative Authorities
Organismo Provincial para el Desarrollo Sostenible (OPDS)
Calle 12 y 53 Torre II Piso 14 - C.P. 1900 La Plata, Bs. As., Argentina
Tel.: +54 (221) 429-429-5548
Email: privada@opds.gba.gov.ar
Ecological Characteristics
The Pereyra Iraola Biosphere Reserve is located in the heart of one of Latin America’s biggest urban areas: Greater Buenos Aires. It is one of the last remains of the original riverside ecosystem, which, in other areas, have been either destroyed or completely modified by heavy urbanization.
It is the home to hundreds of species that are unique to the region, particularly in terms of birds. Almost 70% of all avifauna existing in the Province can be found in the Reserve, with 288 species, including the endangered burrito colorado.
In terms of floristic biodiversity, the region is rich in different kinds of native trees, like the tala (Celtis tala), sauco (Sambucus australis) and espinillo (Acacia caven), as well as different kinds of ferns and grasslands.
Socio-Economic Characteristics
The reserve is located among various municipalities of the Greater Buenos Aires, like La Plata –the provincial capital-, Florencio Varela and Berazategui, with a population of more than 13 million inhabitants. Besides being a leisure area for the nearby population, it has a big potential for tourism, due to its historical constructions and archeological sites. On the other hand, the Reserve is located in Argentina’s biggest vegetable production area. Within the Reserve limits, over 200 families make a living of family farming and beekeeping.
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Last updated: May 2020