Copo National Park

GENERAL INFORMATION OF THE AREA

Copo National Park is located in the northwest of Santiago del Estero province, in the Copo Department. It has a 114.250 hectares surface. In 1998, by the law number 6.450, the place was declared Provincial Park. In 1998 started the transfer to the national heritage. The initiative was included in the GEF projects. The Copo National Park belongs to the “dry –chaco” eco-region . The climate is warm, with absolute temperatures for the continent. The rains change between 500 and 700 millimetres

NATURAL RESOURCES

Fauna PN Copo (Copo National Park) is one of the argentinian places where coexists different critically endangered species, such as the “yaguareté”, the “ oso hormiguero grande”, the “tatú carreta”, and the “chancho quimilero”. The most important bird is the “ talkative parrot”. This specie finds in the protected area a safe refuge.
Flora The protected area has an important forests sector. This place has not suffered a devastating exploitation. The most characteristic tree is the “ quebracho colorado santiagueño”. It is the main specie of the “chaqueña” eco-region. The “quebracho” has strong wood and tannin. Due this properties this specie suffered a devastating exploitation in other argentinian places. During a century, “La Forestal” –a wood company- was the main causal of the quebracho Colorado´s decline.Protecting the "quebracho colorado" is a central priority for the Administración de Parques Nacionales. The quebracho´s devastating exploitation and the cattle action made an important improverishment of the wild forests, and stopped its natural regeneration. The changes are really big: in the beginning of the 20 th century the 80% of the Santiago del Estero province was covered by scrublands; nowadays only the 20% of the province has quebracho scrublands.

WALKS AND SERVICES

This National Park has no services for the visitors. It is recommended to ask for information to the forester. There is a zone where is allowed to camp.