Reserva forestal Chaviyú, Forest reserve near Federación, Argentina

The Reserva forestal Chaviyú covers 132 hectares 12 km from Federación, of which 85 are planted with Eucalyptus rostrata, a hybrid experiment between E. saligna and E. globulus. A gate opens onto the eucalyptus grove; beyond it lie the Uruguay River reservoir, with banks of ravines, small beaches and bays.

The site's origin is tied to the railway line: a stop called Parada Chaviyú operated there until the rails were lifted in 1979, when the Salto Grande reservoir was filled. The land had belonged to the Argentine National State, Compañía del Ferrocarril Nordeste Argentino Limitado, since 1931. In 1999 the ONABE transferred the 132-hectare property to the municipality of Federación.

The name Chaviyú comes from the former railway stop on the line whose rails were lifted in 1979 for the Salto Grande reservoir. Today anglers camp by the Uruguay River for bagres, sábalos and bogas, and the reserve is also known as Cantera Chaviyú for the canto rodado gravel bed beneath the eucalyptus. The access road passes citrus farms and cypresses.

The forest is easy to reach and has walking paths and fishing spots along the river. The best time to visit is early morning when birds are most active and the light is clearest.

Under the eucalyptus canopy lies one of the largest pebble deposits in the area, the reason the site is now a reserve. The 85 forested hectares of Eucalyptus rostrata came from an experiment to cross E. saligna and E. globulus; the hybrid has no commercial value.