Uruguay's protected area system encompasses approximately 320,000 hectares across multiple management categories, administered primarily through the Sistema Nacional de Áreas Protegidas (SNAP), established under Law 17,234 in 2000 and operationalized in 2005. The framework designates areas under categories including national parks, parks, nature reserves, habitat management areas, and protected landscapes. As of 2024, SNAP includes 21 terrestrial and coastal areas plus marine zones. The Ministry of Environment (Ministerio de Ambiente) coordinates management through the National Directorate of Environment. Uruguay ratified the Convention on Biological Diversity in 1993 and committed to protecting 17 percent of terrestrial and inland water areas by 2020 under the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, though actual coverage remains below this threshold.
Parque Nacional Santa Teresa occupies 3,200 hectares in Rocha Department along the Atlantic coast. Established in 1927, the park contains Fortaleza de Santa Teresa, a Portuguese-Spanish colonial fortress begun in 1762. The botanical garden planted in 1937 now contains over one million trees representing 250 species from five continents, including eucalyptus, pine, palm, and native species. The park supports populations of capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris), nutria (Myocastor coypus), and approximately 200 bird species. Coastal dunes reach heights of 30 meters. The beach extends 36 kilometers. Annual visitation exceeds 500,000, concentrated between December and February. Camping facilities accommodate approximately 3,000 people across multiple sites. Access roads connect to Route 9. Park entry costs approximately 200 Uruguayan pesos for vehicles as of 2023.
Quebrada de los Cuervos, designated in 2008, covers 365 hectares in Treinta y Tres Department. The quebrada (ravine) cuts 100 meters deep into the basaltic plateau, exposing geological formations from the Cretaceous period approximately 130 million years old. The Yerbal Chico stream flows through the quebrada bottom. Native forest remnants include coronilla (Scutia buxifolia), mataojo (Pouteria salicifolia), blanquillo (Sebastiania brasiliensis), and canelón (Myrsine laetevirens). Wildlife includes puma (Puma concolor), geoffroy's cat (Leopardus geoffroyi), giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) in waterways, and over 130 bird species including the red-breasted toucan (Ramphastos dicolorus). Three marked trails range from two to six kilometers. The visitor center opened in 2010. Access requires travel on unpaved roads from Route 8, approximately 45 kilometers from the town of Treinta y Tres. No entrance fee applies.
Cabo Polonio, declared a protected area in 2009 within the larger Cabo Polonio National Park of 13,800 hectares, occupies a peninsula in Rocha Department. The settlement contains approximately 60 permanent residents, expanding to several hundred during summer months. Access requires four-wheel-drive vehicles or walking seven kilometers from Route 10, as paved roads terminate before the cape. No electricity grid serves the area; residents rely on solar panels and generators. The lighthouse, constructed in 1881, stands 26 meters tall and operates with automated systems. Isla de Lobos, located approximately eight kilometers offshore, supports a breeding colony of South American sea lions (Otaria flavescens) and South American fur seals (Arctocephalus australis), totaling between 200,000 and 400,000 individuals depending on season, making it one of the largest pinniped colonies in the Western Hemisphere. Boat access to the island requires permits. Coastal dunes exceed 30 meters. Marine species include southern right whales (Eubalaena australis) migrating between July and November, with approximately 30 to 40 sightings per season.
Esteros de Farrapos e Islas del Río Uruguay, designated in 2004, protects 17,496 hectares in Río Negro Department along the Uruguay River. The wetland system includes permanent and seasonal marshes, river islands, and gallery forests. Flooding cycles follow the Uruguay River's regime, influenced by upstream dams including Salto Grande, completed in 1979 at 1,890 megawatts capacity. The area supports capybaras, marsh deer (Blastocerus dichotomus), yacaré caiman (Caiman yacare), and over 180 bird species. The site qualifies under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, ratified by Uruguay in 1984. Access points exist near the town of San Javier, founded by Russian and German immigrants in 1913. Water levels fluctuate between three and five meters annually. Commercial fishing operates under quotas for species including dorado (Salminus brasiliensis) and surubí (Pseudoplatystoma corruscans).
Valle del Lunarejo encompasses 11,100 hectares in Rivera Department near the Brazilian border. Declared a protected landscape in 2008, the valley contains the Lunarejo stream, which flows northward into Brazil. Basaltic outcrops and sandstone formations create topographic variation exceeding 200 meters in elevation. Grassland ecosystems contain species including needle grass (Stipa species), fescue (Festuca species), and over 400 plant species. The area hosts pampas deer (Ozotoceros bezoarticus), which declined from approximately 80,000 individuals nationwide in the 1970s to fewer than 1,000 by 2010. Archaeological sites contain rock shelters with pictographs attributed to pre-Columbian groups. Cattle ranching continues under management agreements. Access requires travel on unpaved roads from Route 27, approximately 100 kilometers from Rivera city. Annual rainfall averages 1,400 millimeters.
Laguna de Rocha, designated in 2010, protects 10,933 hectares in Rocha Department. The coastal lagoon measures 72 square kilometers with a sandbar that opens and closes seasonally, creating alternating freshwater and brackish conditions. The bar typically opens during high water events between May and August, allowing exchange with the Atlantic Ocean approximately seven kilometers away. Salinity fluctuates between 0.5 and 35 parts per thousand. Fish species migrate between ocean and lagoon, including corvina (Micropogonias furnieri) and bream (Brevoortia aurea). Bird populations exceed 220 species, with concentrations of coscoroba swans (Coscoroba coscoroba), black-necked swans (Cygnus melancoryphus), and Chilean flamingos (Phoenicopterus chilensis) exceeding 1,000 individuals during peak seasons. The site received Ramsar designation in 2015. Fishing cooperatives operate under seasonal restrictions. Tourism infrastructure includes boardwalks and observation points. Route 10 provides access along the coast.
Laguna Garzón spans the border between Rocha and Maldonado departments, covering approximately 16,000 hectares including buffer zones designated in 2010. The lagoon measures 17 square kilometers with depths averaging 0.5 meters, reaching two meters in channels. The sandbar opens irregularly, typically once or twice per year. The area includes salt marshes, sand dunes, and wetlands supporting populations of black-necked swans, capybaras, and the endangered Pampas meadowlark (Sturnella defilippii). The circular bridge designed by Rafael Viñoly opened in 2015, replacing a ferry and spanning 680 meters with a circular section 100 meters in diameter to reduce traffic speed. Development pressure increased following the bridge construction. Restrictions limit building heights to two stories and require setbacks of 150 meters from the high-water mark. Water quality monitoring tracks nitrogen and phosphorus levels from agricultural runoff in the watershed covering approximately 600 square kilometers.