410:. In transitioning from a sheep ranch to a national park, Conservación Patagónica aimed to reverse these damages, restore productive habitat, and create a model of ecosystem restoration for Patagonia. The grasslands recovery program, launched in 2004, began with the removal of almost all livestock. Conservación Patagónica's volunteer program performed much of the ecosystem restoration work. By 2011, they had removed over half of the 640 kilometers (400 miles) of habitat-fragmenting ranch fencing. Volunteers also collected seeds from native coirón grasses, which were used to re-seed heavily damaged areas by professional ecosystem restoration workers.
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gauchos and retraining them as park rangers and conservation workers. A school outreach program brings local children into the park to learn about endangered species such as the huemul deer and the benefits of conservation. Conservación Patagónica also hosts an annual Huemul
Festival and hike, and has provided scholarships, known as Huemul scholarships, allowing over fifty students to continue their studies.
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250:, President of Tompkins Conservation, signed a decree creating 5 national parks, one of which was Patagonia National Park. Parque Patagonia was gifted to the Chilean state and combined with Lago Jeinimeni National Reserve, Lago Cochrane National Reserve, and other additional lands to form Patagonia National Park, with a combined area of 260,000 hectares (640,000 acres).
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and a visitor center. The architecture reflects historic
Patagonian styles and uses local materials, such as on-site quarried stone and recycled wood, to ensure durability and minimal upkeep. Additionally, an innovative renewable energy system, composed of solar, wind, and mini-hydro generation facilities, makes the park energy-independent and minimizes its
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370:(now Tompkins Conservation) purchased the 70,600-hectare (174,500-acre) Estancia Valle Chacabuco from de Smet and began acquiring smaller holdings from willing sellers in the Chacabuco Valley, with the aim of creating a continuous reserve to connect with the nearby Jeinimeni and Lago Cochrane (Tamango) national reserves.
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A major focus of the
Patagonia National Park project was constructing durable, accessible public infrastructure to provide visitors with a comfortable and engaging experience at the park. The project included building a park headquarters that features overnight accommodations, a restaurant, a museum,
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are finding a new equilibrium. With livestock removed, grasslands are producing more and higher quality food for a range of herbivores, which now have access to prime habitats and can roam freely without fences. Wildlife recovery programs build on this ecosystem-level transition to protect keystone
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is only paved between
Balmaceda and Cerro Castillo, Chile. The remaining portion of the highway to the park is unpaved. The ranger station in Sector Jeinimeni is easily reachable by car in about 1.5 hours from the town of Chile Chico. It is a 2-to-5-day hike along the Aviles Trail to the Lodge at
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From the beginning of the project, collaborations were developed with neighboring communities to increase local visits to the park, provide employment opportunities, and facilitate the development of a successful ecotourism economy. Efforts to engage the community included offering jobs to former
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The
Chacabuco Valley, the heart of Patagonia National Park, was for generations a vast sheep and cattle ranch, with almost 25,000 animals being raised on the land annually. The native grasslands were degraded by years of intense livestock grazing, leading to desertification of the soils and the
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with GPS collars provides new information about their predation patterns, home ranges, and movements, which is critical given their proximity to the huemul deer population. Conservación Patagónica also implemented strategies such as using livestock guardian dogs to mitigate predator-livestock
537:) genus: lenga, ñire, and coiue. Here, rainfall can be very high, generating dense forests, full of nutrients from high leaf litter. These forests host 370 vascular plant genera, which are vital to the survival of the surrounding fauna. Some significant mammals include the endangered
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block moisture from flowing west, creating this arid region. Several plants have been able to adapt to this harsh environment, including shrubs like calafate, quilembay and yaoyín, and tuft grasses like flechilla and coirón poa. These grasslands support hardy animals such as the
461:. Trails and campgrounds were also constructed to allow visitors to access the wilderness areas of the park and the neighboring reserves. These efforts aimed to bolster ecotourism in the region, support local businesses, and foster a deeper respect for nature among visitors.
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species. The huemul deer is a top priority for the
Patagonia National Park project; habitat loss, diseases transmitted from livestock, hunting, and predation by domestic dogs have reduced its population to around 1,500 individuals. Tracking
526:. A wide range of animals thrives in the more habitable outskirts of the desert and around ephemeral lakes formed from the Andes' runoff, where trees and more nutritious aqueous grasses can grow.
430:, serves as the foundation for targeted species-specific programs, such as efforts to monitor and protect the endangered huemul deer. As the area returns to a more natural state, populations of
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had listed the
Chacabuco Valley as a top conservation priority for over 30 years due to its unique array of native ecosystems. In 2004, after two decades of declining profits,
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The Lodge at Valle
Chacabuco, at the center of the park, houses the park's main tourist infrastructure, including a lodge, restaurant, visitor center and employee housing.
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620:: it prevents domination of grass species, acts as a disperser and fertilizes, and has high reproductive rates, providing food for local carnivores, especially pumas.
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identified the recovery of the huemul as a top priority, as the park's population of 100–200 individuals was one of the largest known surviving populations on Earth.
978:"Plant Evolution and Endemism in Andean South America: An Introduction" Kenneth Young, Carmen Ulloa, James Luteyn, Sandra Knapp. The Botanical Review. May 15, 2002.
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239:, a nonprofit founded with the intent of protecting Patagonia's wildlands and ecosystems. Conservacion Patagonica merged into Tompkins Conservation in 2018.
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533:, the park's flora and fauna changes notably. The landscape begins to transform into forests, which consist mostly of three species of the southern beech (
807:"President of Chile and CEO of Tompkins Conservation sign decrees creating 10 million acres of new national parks". Patagon Journal. January 29, 2018.
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945:"Grasslands of the World". Edited by J.M. Suttie, S.G. Reynolds and C. Batello. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. 2005.
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205:. Once a private nature reserve operated as a public-access park, it was donated to the government of Chile by Tompkins Conservation in 2018.
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796:"Chile Adds 10 Million Acres of Parkland in Historic First". Elizabeth Royte and Michael Greshko. National Geographic. January 29, 2018.
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785:"Chile creates five national parks over 10m acres in historic act of conservation". Jonathan Franklin. The Guardian. January 29, 2018.
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has experienced significant ecological degradation due to intensive sheep ranching on its sandy arid soils, resulting in widespread
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774:"With 10 Million Acres in Patagonia, a National Park System is Born". Pascale Bonnefoy. The New York Times. February 19, 2018.
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began removing fencing and re-seeding former pastures with native grasses, opening up the land for native species such as the
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The dry steppe grasslands of
Argentine Patagonia are characterized by minimal rainfall, cold, dry winds, and sandy soil. The
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UNEP-WCMC (2022). Protected Area
Profile for Patagonia from the World Database of Protected Areas. Accessed 16 April 2022.
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763:"Patagonia Dreaming: Kris Tompkins Works to Build the Best National Park". Bradford Wieners. Bloomberg. April 23, 2014.
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708:, a Netflix documentary series narrated by Barack Obama, showcased this park in its second episode "Chilean Patagonia".
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The heart of the park is the Chacabuco Valley, an ecologically significant east-west valley that forms a pass over the
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862:"Remotest Patagonia: Alone With the Wildlife in the Chacabuco Valley". Holly Williams. Independent. October 9, 2015.
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Although the park lies on the eastern side of the Andes, its glacier-fed streams and rivers run toward the
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851:"Restoring the Eco-System in Chilean Patagonia". Lindsey Olander. Travel and Leisure. October 20, 2015.
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border to the east. The park contains a network of trails and campgrounds, as well as a visitor center.
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later reclaimed the land, which was subsequently sold to Belgian landowner Francoise de Smet in 1980.
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decline of wildlife populations native to the grasslands. With the purchase of the Estancia in 2004,
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718:"Parque Patagonia: Leading a New Generation of Land Conservation". Will Carless. Patagonia, 2015.
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The Patagonia National Park Project consists of four major program areas: buying land, restoring
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829:"The Entrepreneur Who Wants to Save Paradise". Diana Saverin. The Atlantic. September 15, 2014.
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840:"Patagonia’s controversial new national park". Graeme Green. The Guardian. November 2, 2015.
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Parque Patagonia is open from October to April and is only accessible by car. It is south of
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1047:"First Tracks in Chile's New Patagonia Park". Tomás Dinges. Backpacker. November 11, 2014.
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1007:"Reproduction in South American Camelids". Timothy Smith. Iowa State University. 1985.
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Conservación Patagónica's large-scale ecosystem restoration work, now carried out by
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of Chilean Patagonia, Parque Patagonia encompasses an array of ecosystems including
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956:"Patagonian Steppe". International Union for Conservation of Nature. July 9, 2010.
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Valle Chacabuco changed hands many times over the 20th century. British explorer
1036:"Getting Lost in Chile’s Brand New National Park". Daniel Duane. Men's Journal.
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established the area as ranchland in 1908. In 1964, under the administration of
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818:"A History of Valle Chacabuco". Conservacion Patagonica. August 28, 2102.
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733:"Creating Patagonia National Park". Chris Spinder. CBS News. 2019.
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Hiking along the Aviles Valley Trail, Patagonia National Park
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Endangered huemul deer, collared as part of recovery program
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Video: "The Making of Parklands" by Tompkins Conservation.
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Interior of the Visitor Center in Patagonia National Park
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of Chilean Patagonia to the west. It is located between
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is necessary to reach the park. As of March 2018, the
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Moving west and climbing the vertical gradient of the
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Originally one of the region's largest sheep ranches,
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Lago Verde, Sector Jeinimeni, Patagonia National Park
328:, building public access, and engaging communities.
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968:"The Andean-Patagonian Forest". Tierras Patagonicas
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989:"Guanaco Fact Sheet". San Diego Zoo. March 2009.
696:There are also three campgrounds in the park.
612:. It feeds on 75% of all plant species in the
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212:, resulting in a transition zone between the
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681:(BBA). A 300 km drive from Balmaceda on the
362:first visited the Chacabuco Valley in 1995.
84:Location of Patagonia National Park in Chile
478:Located in the transition zone between the
364:CONAF (Chile's National Forest Corporation)
147:3,045.28 km (1,175.79 sq mi)
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216:grasslands of Argentine Patagonia and the
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312:Learn how and when to remove this message
585:and a range of amphibians and reptiles.
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273:contains content that is written like
242:On 29 January 2018, Chilean President
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700:Patagonia National Park in the Media
661:, have been introduced to the area.
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1366:Protected areas established in 2018
254:History of Patagonia National Park
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592:A guanaco in the Patagonia steppe
488:temperate southern beech forests
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228:to the south and extends to the
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1063:Patagonia Park Official Website
604:that is a wild relative of the
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18:Lago Jeinimeni National Reserve
1130:Archipiélago de Juan Fernández
1020:"The Lodge at Valle Chacabuco"
927:www.conservacionpatagonica.org
903:www.conservacionpatagonica.org
879:www.conservacionpatagonica.org
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1068:Detailed for the Aviles Trail
1361:2018 establishments in Chile
923:"Conservacionpatagonica.org"
899:"Conservacionpatagonica.org"
875:"Conservacionpatagonica.org"
677:. The closest airport is in
197:) is a national park in the
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174:National Forest Corporation
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596:Throughout Patagonia, the
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1270:Pumalín Douglas Tompkins
706:Our Great National Parks
635:), pejerrey patagonico (
616:. The guanaco acts as a
235:The park was created by
1351:National parks of Chile
1104:National parks of Chile
608:, is the most abundant
393:Conservación Patagónica
381:Conservación Patagónica
368:Conservación Patagónica
350:Pinochet administration
237:Conservacion Patagonica
191:Patagonia National Park
33:Patagonia National Park
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444:Building public access
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374:Restoring biodiversity
218:southern beech forests
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27:National park in Chile
1310:Vicente Pérez Rosales
1210:Las Palmas de Cocalán
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555:Magellanic woodpecker
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399:Ecosystem Restoration
346:Eduardo Frei Montalva
294:neutral point of view
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128:47.11833°S 72.48472°W
1140:Bosque de Fray Jorge
637:Odontesthes hatcheri
465:Engaging communities
222:General Carrera Lake
133:-47.11833; -72.48472
1115:Alberto de Agostini
484:Argentine Patagonia
387:and the endangered
286:promotional content
170:Governing body
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1135:Bernardo O'Higgins
995:2015-02-28 at the
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1205:Laguna San Rafael
690:Valle Chacabuco.
687:Carretera Austral
683:Carretera Austral
665:Visiting the Park
614:Patagonian steppe
563:black-necked swan
414:Wildlife Recovery
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244:Michelle Bachelet
224:to the north and
214:Patagonian steppe
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16:(Redirected from
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284:by removing
280:Please help
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199:Aysén Region
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97:Aysén Region
539:huemul deer
480:arid steppe
440:conflicts.
391:. In 2022,
389:huemul deer
332:Buying land
152:Designation
131: /
107:Coordinates
1340:Categories
1315:Villarrica
1240:Nahuelbuta
1195:La Campana
1175:Huerquehue
1170:Hornopirén
1160:Conguillío
932:2022-08-25
908:2022-08-25
884:2022-08-25
740:References
600:, a large
535:Nothofagus
520:armadillos
302:March 2023
282:improve it
193:(Spanish:
162:Designated
119:72°29′05″W
116:47°07′06″S
1325:Yendegaia
1265:Patagonia
1255:Pali Aike
1165:Corcovado
610:herbivore
567:pygmy owl
516:tuco-tuco
492:grassland
404:Patagonia
230:Argentine
1300:Tolhuaca
1290:Rapa Nui
1230:Melimoyu
1190:Kawésqar
993:Archived
518:, mara,
500:wetlands
486:and the
338:Estancia
93:Location
1280:Queulat
1275:Puyehue
1250:Nonguén
602:camelid
598:guanaco
547:red fox
474:Ecology
385:guanaco
176:(CONAF)
1155:Chiloé
722:
657:, and
498:, and
1215:Lauca
655:brown
651:brook
629:perch
606:llama
437:pumas
203:Chile
101:Chile
720:ISBN
543:puma
524:puma
358:and
356:Kris
246:and
165:2018
144:Area
42:II (
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