Environmental Diagnosis of the Protected Coastal Areas of the Bahía Blanca Estuary

Abstract

The interrelation between natural environments and the various human activities incoastal areas generates conflicts between conservation and development. For thisreason, the compatibility of both concepts is very important in areas with high territorial occupation pressure and presence of vulnerable natural resources.Recreational and productive activities are currently being developed in coastalareas, which directly or indirectly affect natural resources. Human pressure on natural environments is imposed by space demand for new settlements, installation ofinfrastructure and equipment, sand extraction, and commercial fishing among others. These human activities are the main stressors on coastal ecosystems (Charlierand Bologa 2003). Sea level variations, erosion, and sedimentation are major natural processes also involved in the present evolution of coastal areas. All these transformations can damage coastal environments when they are not accompanied by anadequate system of orderly and sustainable management guidelines. The formulation and implementation of appropriate coastal planning and management measuresarise from a concrete current diagnosis that can project future changes and modifications in this kind of environments (Maelfait et al. 2006). Coastal protected areascontribute to the conservation of the natural and cultural heritage of a region andreduce pressures caused by human activities on these environments.