Repsol YPF

3 July 2007, 16:59 CET

This is a reforestation project managed by the Repsol YPF West Argentina Business Unit. In 2005 work began on the second phase of this project, characterised by its strict conservation criteria, particularly on actions for incorporating new fields, their subsequent implementation and the design of infrastructures such as pathways and firebreaks.

With the collaboration of the Neuquén Province and the intervention of the University of Comahue, recommendations were made for the design and development of restoration actions within the project. New criteria were taken into account for the reforestation activities carried out at the Litrán area, close to the Pino Hachado International highway, incorporated into the project in 2006. Among others, the following recommendations where made:

• To increase the distance between plants to promote the recovery of the understory.
• To place rows perpendicular to pathways, following curves, avoiding regular placement of plants and consequently improving the visual aspect.
• To construct pathways and firebreaks in a way that avoids erosive processes and reduces the visual impact.
• To create restoration plans for mountain flood meadows and ravines.
• To implement reforestation plans with native species in order to maintain and increase biodiversity (lenga and araucaria tree varieties for example).
• To establish buffer zones between the native forest and the forestation area.
• To reduce planting density in proximity to the native forest in order to allow future reforestation with native species.

Large expansions of mono-species forest masses constitute health, economic and social risks, therefore a forest diversification processes become tools for reducing said risks. In addition, if native species are involved in the process, this diversification will generate an improvement in local biodiversity levels.

In this sense, during the winter of 2006, a test in the Alicuré area began. Its objective is the productive diversification of this field using alternative species, one of which is the Cordilleran Cyprus (Austrocedrus chilensis).

Last updated: 3 Jul 2007