22/03/2005 – A history
of deforestation and neglect comes officially
to a close for a vast stretch of some of the
most threatened and biologically rich temperate
rainforest in the world.
The inauguration of the new Valdivian Coastal
Reserve —59,691ha (147,500 acres) of coastal
temperate rainforest in southern Chile — marks
a major advance in overcoming an era of clearcutting
and forest conversion in the area, and makes
way for new public access and cooperation
for local community development.
“This project protects an area of outstanding
global importance, which until recently was
considered by many as difficult or impossible
to protect,” said Guillermo Castilleja, WWF’s
Vice-President for Latin America and the Caribbean.
“The creation of this reserve shows the power
of a big conservation vision combined with
real on-the-ground cooperation between environmental
organizations, governments and local communities.”
The native forests of the reserve harbour
an incredible wealth of wildlife, including
one of the world’s largest woodpeckers, the
world’s smallest deer, a “mountain monkey”
(a small tree-dwelling marsupial considered
by scientists to be a living fossil), at least
58 bird species and several rare carnivores,
such as the southern river otter.
The area is also home to one of the planet’s
longest living tree species: the alerce tree,
which resembles North American giant sequoias
and can live up to 4,000 years, and houses
the olivillo tree, which is unlike any other
tree species on Earth and is found only in
the temperate rainforests of southern Chile.
The Nature Conservancy, working with WWF,
first acquired the Valdivian property for
US$7.5 million in late 2003 at a public auction
following the bankruptcy of the forestry company
Bosques S.A. The company’s largest creditor,
FleetBoston Financial Corporation, now owned
by Bank of America, facilitated the land acquisition.
WWF and The Nature Conservancy are currently
managing the reserve and are working with
their Chilean partners to transfer ownership
and management of the reserve into Chilean
hands to ensure this treasure is protected
for generations to come.
The two organizations have also been in constant
contact with communities in the neighbouring
area to ensure that their traditional land
uses remain part of the overall strategy of
the new reserve, and to promote compatible
local economic development.
“We are delighted that this previously threatened
natural area now offers unexpected opportunities
not only for conservation of Chile’s natural
heritage but also for public use and local
community development,” said Steve McCormick,
president and CEO of The Nature Conservancy.
“We hope that this project will serve as
an example of how to create a park by working
with local communities.”
The designation of the property as a reserve
is part of a larger partnership among WWF,
The Nature Conservancy, local organizations
and the Chilean environmental agency (CONAMA).
The partnership is working extensively on
the management of the reserve and generating
support for related local community development.
CONAMA’s interest in the area has galvanized
a series of public investments and plans for
a Global Environment Facility project in the
area.
“Our hope is that society participates and
contributes towards the protection of our
environment, making the care of nature a daily
and participative act that is compatible with
the growth of our country,” said Paulina Saball,
Executive Director of the Chilean Environmental
Agency (CONAMA).
“The creation of the Valdivian Coastal Reserve
represents a great achievement for Chile and
gives concrete evidence of what it is possible
to develop to preserve our natural heritage.”
The reserve contains 3,642ha (9,000 acres)
of non-native eucalyptus trees and 1,620ha
(4,000 acres) of land that was previously
clear-cut for another eucalyptus plantation.
WWF, The Nature Conservancy and local partners
in Chile will harvest the eucalyptus in an
environmentally-responsible manner and restore
the entire 5,260ha (13,000 acres) to native
forest. Sale of the timber could ultimately
help fund the conservation project.
“The preservation of this land is a boon
for the Chilean people as well as for rare
and endangered species,” said Francisco Solis,
project manager for the Conservancy’s Chile
program.
“Conservation areas should not be locked
away. We hope that neighbouring areas will
benefit by people coming here.”
