Governor Alicia Kirchner led the opening ceremony of the new “Elsa Rosenwasser Fehr” Interpretation Center and Planetarium located at the Canada Pinturas Portal of Patagonia Park in northwestern Santa Cruz today. It is important to highlight that, for the implementation of this new research space, the provincial government and the Rewilding Argentina Foundation worked in concert.
The interpretation center and planetarium will contribute to strengthening the tourist circuit in the northwestern region of Santa Cruz. The joint work with the National Park Administration is decisive because the Patagonia National Park, created in 2014, was the originator of the protected areas of the region, together with the cultural heritage of the Cueva de las Manos region, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999.
During the ceremony, the provincial president was accompanied by the nation’s Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, Juan Cabandi; Mauro Cesarini, Mayor of Perito Moreno; and the mayor of Los Antigueos Julio Bellomo; and Sofia Heinonen, director of Rewilding Argentina. Apart from this, Paola Fehr was present on behalf of the family.
In this context, Governor Alicia Kirchner said: “Science studies and explains how the universe is and so, here we are in the midst of the move, honoring knowledge, caring for the environment, and the gifts of life.” attach importance to.” He continued to consider in order to arrive “When Elsa (Rosenwasser Fehr) conceived this project, she gave us something for the history of humanity, of course thinking that each is the architect of his own destiny”.
On his part, the head of the nation’s environment and sustainable development portfolio indicated: “During our administration, we have added four new protected areas. An identical number was never built in the four-year period and, in addition, the other two were expanded. There is a calling and a will to continue doing everything in harmony.” At the same time, he added that through dialogue very important developments are achieved not only for conservation but also for tourism development, which is undoubtedly an important step in this context. is a fundamental element.
Like the officials of the province and the nation, Sophia Heinonen, director of Rewilding Argentina, observes that “the Parque Patagonia tourist destination, northwest of Santa Cruz, with the opening of this new center of interpretation, has increased its capacity and quality to receive visitors.” and Planetarium. The protected areas of the region offer not only excellent opportunities for wildlife watching and trekking with excellent views of lakes, valleys and glaciers, but also the spectacle of the skies and their interpretation.
Finally, the donor’s daughter Paola Fehr, who was present at the event, expressed: “My mother had a fascination for the stars of the Southern Hemisphere. Patagonia and Argentina were like her home until the last day. Maybe that’s why she started this project.” She was so excited to be able to make a mark in her career in a place that was so exciting to her, with a sense of giving back.
Provincial cabinet ministers also participated in the act; National Director of Operations for the National Park Administration, Fernanda Alvarez; the mayor of Los Antiguos, Julio Bellomo; and Rocío Navarro, coordinator of communities in Parque Patagonia, of the Rewilding Foundation.
The construction of the Interpretation Center and Planetarium is one of the joint initiatives provided for 2020-2023 with the aim of promoting and positioning the northwestern region of Santa Cruz as a cultural and cultural area of the Santa Cruz Province and rewilding agreed between Argentina. Nature tourism. In addition to the Planetarium, the plan included other already consolidated actions such as the addition of 60 kilometers of trails, infrastructure and facilities to improve the experience of visiting the Cañadon Pinturas portal and the cultural heritage in the Cueva de las Manos Provincial Park; signage and viewpoints on Scenic Route 41; the “Exploradores” program for environmental education for children and youth in the region; Promotion and communication campaign, development of a nature tourism app, edition of the book ¨Cueva de las Manos¨; and the development of biodiversity conservation and management programs to recover threatened species, reintroduce extinct species, and facilitate economic use by minimizing conflicts with human activities.
Space: a dream come true
Donated by an Argentinian scientist and nestled in Patagonia Park, the new Elsa Rosenwasser Fehr Interpretation Center and Planetarium brings together astronomy, geology, the crisis of biodiversity loss and ecological restoration, as well as a place to interpret the skies Will introduce innovative interactive displays. Stars.
Beginning in the spring, visitors to the Cañadon Pinturas Portal in Patagonia Park in northwestern Santa Cruz will be able to visit the brand new “Elsa Rosenwasser Fehr” Interpretation Center and Planetarium for hiking and viewing wildlife activities.
The themed rooms, arranged in approximately eight hundred square meters “submerged” in the steppe, invite to explore in an original and interactive display the geological formation of the area since the presence of humans on the planet, the evolution of their species. The biodiversity crisis and ecosystem restoration as a solution to the extinction crisis and climate change. The tour ends with the planetarium, where projections are used to explain the sky and the stars.
The center’s name pays tribute to its benefactor, the Argentine scientist Elsa Rosenwasser Fehr, who made its construction possible. A PhD in physics, Elsa dedicated her life to teaching and popularizing science and excelled in the design of interactive exhibits and materials for science museums. He wrote several books, including Cielito Lindo, which provided tools for doing “naked-eye astronomy”. He developed his career mainly in the United States, where he came to direct the Reuben Fleet Interactive Science Center in San Diego.
