Daily Archives: January 16, 2011

Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur (South Waterfront Ecological Reserve) in the Puerto Madero neighborhood of Buenos Aires is something of a miracle. Between 1976 and 1983, public access to the Buenos Aires waterfront was restricted. Construction debris and sediments dredged from the Rio de la Plata accumulated in the south waterfront and, while construction in the area was stalled, native flora and fauna took advantage of the situation. This marshy area developed naturally into what became Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur in 1986. Today, the area is a wonderful park, full of life, with native plants and animals including over 200 species of birds. An effort is made to remove non-native species of plants where possible. Entering the reserve, one can see the stark contrast between the natural landscape and new high-rise construction in Buenos Aires. Native flowering trees include Erythrina crista-galli (cockspur coral tree, also known as Ceibo or Seí­bo in Spanish, Corticeira in Portuguese) and Jacaranda mimosifolia (Jacaranda). The Ceibo flower is the national flower of Argentina. The Jacarada are common throughout Buenos Aires, but I was lucky in catching a shot of a few flowers because the flowering season for Jacaranda was pretty much over. Continue reading →