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Paraná
River Delta and Bonanza Deltaventura
Only 18 miles north of the Buenos Aires,
there is an extraordinary ecological zone: the Paraná River
Delta. The Paraná flows north–south and becomes an
alluvial basin between the Argentine provinces of Entre Ríos
and Santa Fe, then emptying into the Río de la Plata. It
carries 200 million tonnes of suspended sediment (about half of
it coming from the Bermejo River through the Paraguay River) and
advances several tens of meters per year over the Río de
la Plata. It is the world's only river delta that is in contact
not with the sea but with another river. The Paraná Delta
has an area of about 14,000 km2 and starts to form between the
cities of Santa Fe and Rosario, where the river splits into several
arms, creating a network of islands and wetlands. It is conventionally
divided into three parts, the Upper Delta, the Middle Delta, and
the Lower Delta, called as well Third, Second and First Session.
The total length of the delta is about 320 km, and its width varies
between 18 and 60 km.
The Lower Delta was the site of the first modern settlements
in the Paraná-Plata basin and is today densely populated,
the town which welcome you, if you are arriving from Buenos Aires
is Tigre. At Tigre you will find the Fruit Port Market, known
for the variety of booths that sell plants, handcrafted articles
of wicker and straw, fruits, vegetables, cheeses, sausages and
other food supplies. Originally, this was the place where the
products from the island gardens were sold.
To get away to the islands you need to got to the Tigre Waterway
Station where several lines of motorboats for public service with
itineraries across these rivers that transport local villagers
and tourists. In the islands, the houses are built on piles, which
raise the constructions and stand out between the leafy vegetation.
There is a great variety of trees like ceibos, cañas, pines,
poplars, laurel, willow, wickers, eucalyptuses, diverse fruit-trees,
ferns and lilies of the field, together with magnificent "camalotes"
that weave entangled floating islands; also flowers like azaleas
and hydrangeas, among others. Among the local fauna there are
amphibious mammals like the Carpincho, the otter and aquatic birds
like coots or white herons.
The original inhabitants of the region where the Guarani People.
After le Spanish colonization, different waves of settlers have
been exploiting the area for its woods and fertile land. Nowadays
the most important activity is tourism. And this is how we propose
you to get to know and enjoy the place: Bonanza Deltaventura.
Rosana Di Mecola, the landlady of Bonanza Deltaventura is telling
us her story:
“Our grandparents arrived at the Delta in 194. They settled
down in a beautiful farmhouse with fruit trees and a productive
orchard. On 1971 did we come to the centennial land of Bonanza,
whose former owners used to work in the production of apples pears
and quinces in the golden period of Delta. Towards the 60's the
house was sold to a family who produced timber and they baptized
it Bonanza, which means: good, kindness, quiet, prosperous…
But it also means, "walk happily along what you wish and
undertake". In 1971, when my father, Osvaldo Di Mecola, bought
this house, he decided to keep its name as it brings about good
omens. At that time, he found the house and the terrain almost
in ruins. However, he devoted his time to repair the place and
took over the job of forestation. Today, we open our doors to
tourism so that everyone can enjoy the natural environment in
which we have lived for so long. We welcome you to our Italian-style
house, which dates back to 1898, for a weekend of relax, adventure
and fun. You can rest the Park, 3,000-m2 park, with trees and
lovely plants or practice horse back riding, cycling, canoeing,
ping-pong, soccer, fishing and canopy! The home-made food is cooked
with local products, such as pecan nuts, citrus fruits, plums,
blackberries, honey and more. I invite you to get to know our
life on the island”.
The programs include interpretative walks, starting directly from
the House: in a range of 2 to 5 km. you will be able to appreciate
the different ecosystems in the Delta (mounts, plains, marshlands
and lagoons), its flora (wild paths, poplar woods, willows, she-oaks),
an enormous richness of birds, amphibians and a wide variety of
insects. You will get to know how the commercial activities from
the past have impacted in our lives today. You will learn about
the residents of the island and their jobs: the baker, the grocery
boat, the passenger boat and the children at school. For this
experience, a local bilingual guide can lead you or you may follow
a detailed map and enjoy the walk on your own as well.
Bonanza Deltaventura takes part into two local organizations:
TodoDelta y Delta Natural. They promote the sustainable development
of the area, taking into account environmental conservation and
local participation.
Subir
School
N° 11 “Free America” – Morón
 This
school is a leading advocate for the democratization of daily
life in Argentina and represents a decided bet for the construction
of a better future for the country. The school N° 11 has designed
a program focussing on human rights by encouraging a historical
approach, remembering the past by studying the political, social
and economic occurrences that have influenced the country and
the region in general. The content and focus of the classes has
changed since the military dictatorship, but even more importantly,
the relationship between student and teacher has been altered
greatly.
Ricardo Aguilar, a teacher
at the school, takes time out of his busy day to tell us about
the school “calendar”, where students mark facts relevant
to their understanding of history: the birth of a Latin American
poet, the death of a social leader, the disappearance of an artist.
Close to the entrance of the school is the auditorium, called
“30,000 Missing Friends”. The space is used for school
functions in general and includes a space to show movies, portraying
the reality of Latin America to students.
The state of the national education system is arguably worse than
ever, little has changed in the last 15 years except that there
are more and more students in each classroom and an average teacher
earns about 400 pesos per month. The crisis situation has converted
the schools into a strategic place to contain the youth of the
country. In the school N° 11 they educate in a manner that
promotes democracy, thereby instilling in the youths a conscience
of Human Rights and a respect for peace and justice.
The school has constructed a bakery called “Pañuelos
Blancos” which allows the school to offer food to students
who often do not receive enough at home. The bakery has also provided
the school with the means necessary to participate in neighborhood
charity work while also allowing them to earn a bit of money and
offer jobs in the bakery. The school has therefore become a producer
of thought and bread, two of the most important factors in any
free society.
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The Association
of Tourism “La Niña Pueblo Rural”
This association was formed in August of 2003 with the objective
of promoting La Niña as a tourist
destination. The motto of the association: “To come
and stay” is an open invitation to come and share the way
of life of this rural community and to experience the hospitality
of the people of the countryside.
   
The primary objectives of the association are to defend the local
culture, improve daily life, generate hope for the future and
most importantly, to fight for a more just society that does not
exclude anybody.
The neighbours of La Niña who offer lodging in their farmhouses
run this association. They are supported by other institutions
and share the idea that tourism is a tool to change and improve
the economy and thereby allow for the construction of a better
and more just future for everyone.
One of the projects of the association has been the creation of
a calendar, promoting the way of life in rural communities. The
illustrations show the institutions, games and the way of life
of the rural community in general. They printed 4000 copies of
the most recent edition that were distributed throughout the country
as well as to the exterior.
The association organizes courses of Professional Formation in
the fields of agriculture and food conservation by teaching the
methods of cheese and jam production. Among the many projects
realized by the association has been the restoration of a theatre
and the organization of the first rural film festival called “Del
Aislamiento al Encuentro”. In order to promote the different
initiatives of the association, a tourist information office has
been opened and current events can be encountered on their web
page.
The association has been successful in achieving many gains for
the community. Most importantly, they have gained a better appreciation
of their identity as an agricultural village and the traditional
work of the countryside. Also, they have begun a number of projects
to restore buildings of historical significance like the store
“el Canon” which, after many years of abandonment,
has been converted into a cultural centre for the community. Here,
the local artists and craftsmen have a place to exhibit their
creations and an opportunity to work together with other local
and state institutions active in the project. The goal of the
association has been to rediscover history and to improve the
links between other communities facing similar problems while
working to improve the general quality of services offered.
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“Historic Provincial
Museum” and “Natural Reserve of Multiple Use”
Guillermo E. Hudson
 Half
way in-between Buenos Aires and La Plata is located the Guillermo
Enrique Hudson reserve named after the well-known writer, formally
created in 2001 on the same land where he was born.
The primary goal of the reserve is to educate and offer a space
of contemplation and participation, which also complements the
programs of scholars. It is destined to inspirer respect and love
of nature, as it did for the writer through out his life. Hudson
gave testimony on flora and fauna as well as the life of the countryman
and the local landscape of the 19th century. Hudson was the first
Argentine ornithologists as well as the first known Argentine
etiologist. He inspired the first law of bird protection and the
prestigious Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB).
The other important function of the reserve is the conservation
of the natural environment. It is considered as an urban reserve,
which means has relatively little extension located in an urban
area or next to it. The Hudson reserve includes 2 little streams
with more than 20 species of fish. Scientists have identified
about 200 species of vertebrates and many migratory birds. There
are more than 200 species of plants both native and introduced
species which spread in little forests, steppe and wetlands.
In particular, the province of Buenos Aires
is the area of the country that is the most affected by human
activity. Since the 16th century we can observe a change in the
native vegetation due to agricultural and ranching activities.
In most recent times industrialization, urbanization and contamination
have heavily affected the area. In the north east of the province
there is the highest concentration of population in the country
is and that generates numerous social problems. The anarchic urbanization
and the illegal occupation of land are some of the situations
that the reserve has fought against thanks to the dedication of
volunteers and authorities.
The creation of the reserve has been a long and difficult battle.
Since 1929 Fernando Pozzo, a medical doctor from Quilmes and a
scholar of Hudson’s work discovered the place and immediately
formed an organization to rescue the native landmark of the writer.
Later on, in 1949, the noble Davidson and his sister donated 4
hectares of their land to the province of Buenos Aires to be assigned
to be a museum and natural park. Then in 1954 the Japanese ambassador
for Argentina who was also the president of the Hudson Organization
in Tokyo, jointly with the Argentine Friends of Hudson Association
fought together to rescue the property from the illegal occupants
that were living there. Finally in 1957 the province of Buenos
Aires created the museum and reserve named after Guillermo Enrique
Hudson. From 1991 to 1996 and also in 2001 many generous donations
were given to extend the reserve area to its actual 54 hectares.
Now after the more than 70 years of national and international
activities are finally giving their fruits. Today the modest shelter
where the writer was born more than 200 years ago is still standing
in between ancient trees. Many tourist and interested people visit
this special place and the library with more than 15,000 books
that is open to the public, plus the specialized collection of
Hudson’s work.
The entrance is free and there are guided tours on Saturdays,
Sundays and public holidays, during the week it is open to school
groups and it is an important gathering place for the people who
live nearby. This place is an amazing oasis of nature, piece,
respect and education that brings health and gives heart to this
urbanized area.
www.hudsonmuseoyparque.org.ar
Original Text of Marcelo
Montenegro
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