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May 09Palo Verde Park redeemed
The Tribunal Ambiental, entity focused on supervising and denouncing the proper use and/or damage inflicted upon our natural resources and protected parks has forced the government to make amends for the damages caused to the Palo Verde Park when the IDA (Institute of Agricultural Development) flooded a sector of the protected area while working on the construction of canals to irrigate nearby rice and sugarcane plantations.
The issue had been denounced since early in 2000, when park authorities complained to other gubernamental agencies of the severe damage inflicted upon a “Pochote” forest. By 2007, official research concluded that the areas of la Bocana, Nicaragua, Corralillo y Quebrada la Mula –all within the protected area and nearing 3,000 acres in size- had been affected by the industrial flooding.
Just one year time is the actual frame designed by the Tribunal to have the responsible agencies do damage control. Such plans include the construction of a 6 kilometer long canal that will allow for the expulsion of the waters from the reservoir.
The Palo Verde protected area has been regarded by international agencies as a site of great environmental value and primordial wetland asset.