Government postpones transfer of protected areas to SBAP and opens investigation into shortcomings detected in the process

The Government announced that the administration of the country's national parks, reserves, and natural monuments will remain under Conaf's oversight until March 2027, after identifying a series of problems in the planning of the transition process towards the Biodiversity and Protected Areas Service (SBAP).

The decision was made following a technical review carried out by the authorities, which concluded that the necessary conditions to carry out the institutional transfer currently do not exist without risking the operation of protected areas and the work of hundreds of officials and park rangers throughout the country.

The Executive stated that during the analysis, various gaps were detected related to the organizational structure, the staffing of regional teams, and budget planning, aspects considered fundamental to ensuring the functioning of the new service.

As a consequence of these findings, the Government ordered an administrative summary and sent the collected information to the Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic to determine potential responsibilities in the preparation of the process.

The measure is particularly relevant for the forestry and conservation sector, considering that Conaf has historically been the institution in charge of administering the National System of State Protected Wildlife Areas, which includes national parks, reserves, and natural monuments distributed throughout the national territory.

The director of SBAP, Tomás Saratscheff, explained that the postponement will allow for more solid implementation work, strengthening coordination between both institutions and establishing mechanisms to ensure an orderly transition.

Among the planned actions is the creation of a specialized unit to lead the transfer process, the deployment of technical teams in the regions, and the review of operational aspects that still present weaknesses.

The decision seeks to avoid interruptions in the management of protected areas, safeguard the continuity of conservation programs, and ensure that the new institutional framework has the necessary capacities to face the challenges of protecting the country's biodiversity.

With this new timeline, the Government expects to consolidate a gradual transition towards SBAP, ensuring that the future administration of protected areas is carried out under adequate standards of planning, financing, and public management.