The World Bank has performed environmental impact assessments ahead of paving a provincial route in Argentina that traverses the second largest forested area in Latin America, known as Chaco Americano.
The Bank says the project is incorporating the views of experts in biodiversity, as well as the recommendations from NGOs and the local community.
2 August 2012: The World Bank is financing the paving of provincial route No. 3 in the province of Chaco, Argentina, an area that goes through the second largest forested area in South America, known as Gran Chaco Americano. A report prepared as part of the project and released on 30 July 2012 contains the results of impact studies and recommendations for conservation during road construction.
As part of the project, the National University of the Northeast and INALI-CONICET completed several impact studies during infrastructure planning, including a plant and animal survey, an analysis of species conservation status, and the determination of protected areas and proposals to mitigate the environmental impact. The Pro Yungas Foundation also presented a series of recommendations that will need to be put into practice during construction of the road, such as key areas to conserve along the route, the use of explanatory signs, traffic calming measures, and controls against illegal logging and hunting. [World Bank Press Release] [Publication: The Ways of Chaco: Roads and Landscape Conservation in the Chaco Region (in Spanish)]