Grand Opening of Rio Gallegos Environmental Interpretation Center, Argentina

December 5^th, 2011, was a special day for the city of Rio Gallegos in Argentina—a day in which a dream, many years in the making, was fulfilled. At last, the Environmental Interpretation Center at Rio Gallegos Estuary opened its doors to the community! The project to build such a center began in 2004, through a joint initiative among the National University of Southern Patagonia (UNPA by its Spanish acronym), the Municipality of Rio Gallegos, Santa Cruz Province, and WHSRN (through the Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences).

This dream of an Environmental Interpretation Center in Rio Gallegos became a reality thanks to the leadership, perseverance, and hard work of local, regional, and international institutions. Vital financial support came from the Manomet Center, thanks to funding received from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Anitra Oil Spill Recovery Fund; Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act Grants Program) and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF). Generous support also came from the City of Rio Gallegos, UNPA-Rio Gallegos Academic Unit, La Anónima Supermarkets, Rare Conservation, AVINA Foundation, and Asociación Ambiente Sur [Southern Environment Association].

During the Center’s inauguration event, the Mayor of Rio Gallegos Héctor Roquel said, “This is an important step, and many more still remain. This is a place of​ ​great importance to the city, a place for sharing information and raising awareness in people about caring for our environmental heritage.”

The Río Gallegos Estuary was designated a WHSRN Site of International Importance in 2005. The site comprises two distinct sections: the Provincial Migratory Bird Reserve (Province of Santa Cruz) and the Rio Gallegos Urban Coastal Reserve (Rio Gallegos Municipality). The new Center is located within the latter section.

Santiago Imberti of Asociación Ambiente Sur was full of emotion in recalling that, “Some 12 years ago we started working on all this, with the publication of a book about the estuary, and I believe that this seed took root. The work of the Association and what is being inaugurated today are sources of great pride, because we finally have the tool to show to Rio Gallegos all that it has, how valuable it is, and how important it is that everyone cares for it. We now have to keep working to continue to grow and achieve the environmental maturity that a city like Rio Gallegos deserves.”

Dr. Charles Duncan, Director of the WHSRN Office Executive, likewise expressed his pride in accompanying the opening of such an important work of conservation. He also noted that, “The work of the Manomet Center and of WHSRN will continue in Rio Gallegos for two reasons: one, to accompany, assist, and contribute to local processes, but also to learn from the positive experience here and replicate it elsewhere. This work is done not just for the conservation of shorebirds, but also for the quality of life of the community and its people.”

After the ribbon cutting ceremony, everyone entered the Center and toured its various installations. A memorable moment came when a theater group under the direction of Professor Silvina Vilanova surprised everyone with a performance of a play called “The Estuary Needs Us.”

The Center will serve as a place where residents as well as visitors of the City of Rio Gallegos can learn the value of the estuary as a unique ecosystem—for the environmental services it provides to the community and for the vital resources it offers to thousands of shorebirds that migrate here year after year.

For more information, contact Germán Montero (orgullo@ambientesur.org.ar), Rio Gallegos Estuary Pride Campaign Coordinator, or Charles Duncan (cduncan@manomet.org), Director of the WHSRN Executive Office, Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences.