The Contradictions of Militarized Landscapes
Military zones, especially those with military training camps in it, usually represent large extensions of preserved territory. Buffer zones (created to isolate them) are not subject to common human activities such as urbanization, intensive farming practices or industrialization. Thus, in comparison to non-militarized surrounding landscapes, those lands become extremely relevant from an environmental point of view. Examples include the military bases of Salisbury Plain in England, and Rocky Mountain Arsenal in USA - known today as Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge.
A insulated territory surrounded by extensive farms
In the border between Brazil and Uruguay, is located the Monte Caseros Military Base, the largest Argentine military base and one of the largest in Latin America. That military territory is one of the few remaining continuous land of the Pampa natural biome, contradictorily protected thanks to heavy intervention of the Argentine army: while central areas are often affected by the presence of ammunition testing, tanks and troops; large perimeter areas are kept relatively free of human impacts, helping to keep a territorial configuration very similar to the original pampa’s landscapes as espinillo forests, marshes, lakes and watercourses. Therefore, these peripheral zone becomes a pole of attraction of species that once inhabited its surroundings, and are currently altered by extensive farming.
In the border between Brazil and Uruguay, is located the Monte Caseros Military Base, the largest Argentine military base and one of the largest in Latin America. That military territory is one of the few remaining continuous land of the Pampa natural biome, contradictorily protected thanks to heavy intervention of the Argentine army: while central areas are often affected by the presence of ammunition testing, tanks and troops; large perimeter areas are kept relatively free of human impacts, helping to keep a territorial configuration very similar to the original pampa’s landscapes as espinillo forests, marshes, lakes and watercourses. Therefore, these peripheral zone becomes a pole of attraction of species that once inhabited its surroundings, and are currently altered by extensive farming.
Jointly managed by the Department of Defense and the Department of Environment, the practices occurs with common goals. And this ensures tactical training together with deep research on seasonal factors, recognition of territory and land properties; in addition to prevention, monitoring and remediation studies of military and agricultural impacts.
Exploiting the phenomenon of Wildlife's Refuges
The Triple Frontier Military Park is part of an ecological park system that has the function of connecting the remaining areas of the pampas biome, which has been severely degraded by extensive agricultural activities, like planting soybeans, eucalyptus and rice.
