Palo Verde National Park was declared a Wildlife Refuge during the 1970s; over 60 different species of birds used the Laguna, or wetland, as a migratory stop. However, the introduction of "Typha domingensis" (southern cattail) has interfered with bird migration. The OTS, an advisor to the Ministry of the Environment and Energy, has been researching the restoration of the wetlands. In the 1990s, the park was put on the Ramsar list of wetlands of international importance and also on the Montreux Record.