UNESCO has officially designated two of Paraguay's most important natural heritage sites as part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves. Ñacunday National Park, home to one of the country's most impressive waterfalls, and the Moisés Bertoni Scientific Monument, in Presidente Franco, have been incorporated into the Upper Paraná Southern Biosphere Reserve, a recognition considered one of the most significant granted to the country in the environmental field in recent years.
The decision was made during the 38th session of the International Coordinating Council of UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB-ICC), whose deliberations concluded last weekend. With this, Paraguay adds a new territory to the international network that brings together areas regarded as models of coexistence between the conservation of natural resources and the well-being of local communities.
The new reserve covers 172,564.84 hectares spread across the municipalities of Nacunday, Domingo Martínez de Irala, Los Cedrales, and Presidente Franco, in the southern part of the department of Alto Paraná. The region contains some of the most significant remnants of the Upper Paraná Atlantic Forest, one of the most biodiverse ecosystems on the continent and, at the same time, one of the most threatened by agricultural expansion and the loss of forest cover.
Ñacunday National Park is primarily recognized for protecting Salto Ñacunday, a stunning waterfall surrounded by lush vegetation that has become a natural symbol of Alto Paraná and a tourist hub of growing importance. Beyond its scenic beauty, the area serves as a refuge for emblematic species such as the jaguar and the tapir, considered indicators of the health of forest ecosystems. Despite human pressure, deforestation, and hunting having reduced animal populations over the years, the park remains one of the most relevant biological reserves in the country's Eastern Region.
The other pillar of the reserve is the Moisés Bertoni Scientific Monument, located on the banks of the Paraná River in Presidente Franco. The 199-hectare protected area combines natural, scientific, and cultural heritage. It preserves native and exotic plant species introduced by the Swiss-Paraguayan scientist Moisés Bertoni himself in his research on the region's flora. The monument is also home to a Mbyá Guaraní indigenous community settled in the Carrería Cué area, giving the site a social and cultural dimension. The museum housed in what was the researcher's residence holds documents, instruments, and materials related to his studies in botany, zoology, meteorology, and ethnography. After four years closed to the public, the monument partially reopened for visits in January 2025.
The incorporation of these territories into the world network opens new prospects for research projects, environmental education, sustainable tourism, and community development. The recognition also strengthens the possibility of technical cooperation with specialized agencies and facilitates access to global conservation funding initiatives.