The Nature Conservancy. Protecting nature. Preserving life.™

Protecting the Patagonian Grasslands

The Nature Conservancy is helping protect Argentina’s temperate grasslands through three main strategies: Supporting the creation and consolidation of public protected areas; contributing to develop a framework for private protected areas; and promoting best practices in sustainable grazing in these fragile arid grasslands.

Sustainable Sheep Grazing

In the south of Argentina, up to 90% of land is privately owned and used for grazing . Because inadequate grazing management has contributed to extreme habitat loss in these fragile arid grasslands, the Conservancy is applying its decades of global experience working with landowners to promote sustainable sheep grazing.

Continuing Partnerships

In 2008, the Conservancy opened an office in Bariloche, in the Rio Negro Province of Argentina, in Patagonia. Prior to 2008, we supported conservation efforts for several years through work with partner organizations by:

• Financing an ecoregional assessment of the Gran Chaco region stretching across Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil and Paraguay, which led to investments in conservation work in all four countries;
• Working with Argentine, Brazilian, and Paraguayan partner organizations to conserve the interior Atlantic Forest;
• Assisting Fundación Neuquén in developing the first conservation easement in Argentina.

The Conservancy’s conservation work in Argentina today concentrates on the country’s Patagonian grasslands —one of the world’s least protected and most threatened habitats.