Peninsula Mitre (Argentina)

Photo credit: Joel Reyero, Por el Mar (PEM)

In December 2022, the Provincial Assembly of Argentina’s Tierra del Fuego Province formally designated the Peninsula Mitre Provincial Park, forever protecting 1.2 million acres of land and nearshore ocean (approximately 740,000 acres of land and 2,000 square kilometers of ocean) at the very tip of South America. This area is home to massive peat bogs, making it the largest carbon sink in Argentina. The land provides habitat to critically endangered southern river otter, as well as guanaco, red fox, coastal goose, common steamer duck, and condors. The sea surrounding the peninsula is home to myriad bird species including petrels, Magellanic penguins, imperial and black-headed cormorants, South American terns, skuas, and the black-browed albatross. Elephant seals, bottlenose dolphins, orcas, and several species of whales feed in the nearshore environment among some of the healthiest kelp forests remaining in Argentina. In addition to the area’s myriad natural values, Peninsula Mitre Provincial Park contains dozens of cultural sites from the Haush People, dating back thousands of years.  

Local, regional, and international groups have worked to protect Peninsula Mitre, and Patagonia and Tompkins Conservation provided considerable support over the years to build this successful campaign. The Wyss Foundation provided funding to Re:wild to help it support the local lead on the project, Por el Mar.