Rietman Population Trail - Botanical Garden of Lago Puelo

Mr. Oscar Rietman lived from his childhood to his retirement into the National Park where he worked. His father came from Switzerland in 1923 to this place of only 3 inhabitants in those years.. His mother, Ana Cuevas, was from Argentina and her uncles had animals crossing the lake;  from here the name of the Cuevas Hill (Cerro Cuevas).

The house of his childhood was built in wood, both walls and the roof tiles. It was of two floors and the bathroom was nothing more than a latrine. But the forest grew and the house no longer exists; there are only a few stones where once was the fire...

They planted many fruit trees like apples, plums and cherries; in additin to currants, roses, narcissus and daffodils. The forest and the rosehips, murra and maqui had invaded all the place...

But those that still exist are the three oaks that cannot let us see the Cuevas hill...

...and the double narcissus that blooms in the middle of the forest, announcing each year the beggining of the spring.

I believe that this path clearly shows us the fragility of the effort and work of the man and the power of Mother Nature.

"The Voice of the Maple" trail (Botanical Garden of Lago Puelo)

The first trail that we reached walking in the Botanical Garden is the one called "THE VOICE OF THE MAPLE"...


The maple tree is not a native specie of this region. The first maples were brought and planted by the Rietman Family, early inhabitants 80 years ago...

This family brought them from Europe and planted them against the wind. But it is an invasive specie and they regenerate quickly. The maple trees reach 30 meters height and preventing the passage of light, other typical species can not survive.

Currently, there is an agreement between Lago Puelo National Park and the Institute of Artistic and Teaching Trainig Nº 805; this school has an atelier of luthiers where they use the wood of the maples that are removed for the instruments.

The trees are chosen according to the size, status and an important point: the competition of light. Usually the trees selected are thosewith long and straight trunk of 40 centimeters of diameter and healthy bark.

The wood is cut into planks to be left drying for 4 years to avoid splitting. The radial cuts are used to make the tops of the instruments and longitudinal blades of 2 milimeters are used for the side strips.

Thus the problem of the maple´s invasion over the native forests is now controlled and specialist are still working on it, planting native trees in the area. 


In the next post, we are going to know a little more of the Rietman family...