Law 26,331 on Minimum Budgets for Environmental Protection of Native Forests obliges each province to organize its native forest into three conservation categories. This ordinance—the OTBN—has the force of law and defines what can be done with the land.
| Category | Color | What allows |
|---|---|---|
| Yo | Red | It cannot be cleared or converted. Conservation and very restricted use only. |
| II | Yellow | It cannot be cleared. Sustainable use, harvesting and enrichment are allowed. |
| III | Green | It can be converted totally or partially, with authorization. |
Category I or II is a first-order legal condition: it changes the possible use of property and with it its value. Always check against the province's current OTBN before closing a transaction.
The typical case is a native woodland property bought with the intention of clearing it for cropping. If it is in category II that plan is not viable, and the price per hectare that applies is a different one.
The layer shown is the national consolidation of provincial regulations. Each province updates its own at its own frequency, so the definitive reference is always the current provincial OTBN.