Ecosystem restoration forms the vital complement to securing protection for land. As wild as Patagonia is, human misuse has left lasting scars on the landscape. Restoring it to health requires taking active measures to revive damaged areas and protect threatened species. The goals of our restoration initiatives are to reverse trends of desertification and exotic species intrusion, to restore grasslands to health, and to ensure that all native species of the region thrive in and around the park.
We've initiated a major ecosystem transformation in the Chacabuco Valley: from estancia to park. Only seven years ago, almost 30,000 sheep and cattle crowded the valley, grazing fragile grasslands to dirt. Hundreds of miles of fences bisected the area and prevented wildlife from accessing prime habitat. Predators such as pumas and foxes were hunted to reduce livestock losses. All this has changed: wildness and natural processes are returning to the valley. We're restoring connectivity and revitalizing wildlife habitat. This multiyear ecosystem shift offers an ideal opportunity to monitor species and develop model conservation strategies.
One of the world's largest grasslands restoration projects, our effort to revive the Chacabuco Valley serves as a key initiative for the Patagonia region, where desertification represents the most pressing ecological issue. Studies have concluded that the severe climate, fragile soils, and remoteness of this region make sustainable ranching close to impossible, both ecologically and economically. Rewilding represents the best mode of preventing permanent damages from desertification and enabling the people and ecosystems of Patagonia to thrive. Seeing lush green valleys replace barren livestock pastures and herds of guanacos return to previously inaccessible hillsides offers hope in the possibilities of regeneration. We can regain functioning wild ecosystems, not just lose them.
Meanwhile, species-specific wildlife recovery programs target endangered and keystone species, studying their behavior and determining best practices for conservation. Our wildlife biologists currently focus on protecting the endangered Huemul deer, tracking the native puma, and restoring migration corridors. Looking forward, we plan to launch programs focused on other endangered species of Patagonia such as the ñandu, a large flightless bird. |
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Overgrazing has left grasslands barren
and prone to erosion
Taking down ranch fences is a major
component of grassland restoration work
Huemul deer, endangered from habitat loss
and competition with livestock, are our
top wildlife conservation priority
Tracking and monitoring pumas allows us
to understand predator/prey relationships
in an ecosystem in flux |
