Federal decree lifts protection for silver‑tailed Puna, sparking farmer‑environment clash

Early rains this September arrived ahead of schedule, swelling the Río Esperanto tributaries and prompting farmers to revise their harvest calendars. The Cooperative Council in San Vicente reported that the season’s projected coffee yield could rise by 8 % if the high‑altitude fields are cultivated, a prospect that aligns with the Interior Ministry’s latest decree.

The decree, signed by the Federal Interior Minister, removes the silver‑tailed Puna from the list of protected fauna. In a brief statement, the Minister said the move “removes an outdated barrier to sustainable agricultural growth” and will be implemented through regional land‑use permits overseen by the Governor’s office.

Environmental NGOs, led by the Green Valley Alliance, denounced the decision as a short‑sighted gamble that threatens a species endemic to the plateau’s cloud forests. Their spokesperson warned that the loss of the bird could destabilise pollination networks, ultimately reducing coffee quality and lowering export prices on the federal exchange.

The Cooperative Council has called an emergency meeting to assess how the newly available land will be allocated among member farms. The council’s chair, Elena Ríos, promised that the next session will detail a transparent application process and that the council will seek input from the Green Valley Alliance before any plots are cleared.