Vecinos de Villa Cerro Castillo participaron de la primera actividad del programa Amigos del Parque Nacional Cerro Castillo | Foto: Rigoberto Jofré para Rewilding Chile
“Friends of Cerro Castillo National Park” outreach program began with the participation of neighbors and teachers
This is the first activity of this program of Fundación Rewilding Chile, which seeks to strengthen the link between the community and this protected area.
With a guided tour of different sectors of the National Park, teachers and residents of Villa Cerro Castillo participated in the first activity of the Friends of Cerro Castillo National Park program, an initiative promoted by Fundación Rewilding Chile.
This is the third area where this program is implemented, after the successful experiences developed in Patagonia NP in the commune of Chile Chico and in Alerce Andino NP in the Los Lagos Region.
In this first activity, the visitors toured the Chiguay Lagoon, the La Bombacha waterfall in Portezuelo, and the wetland in the same sector, accompanied by the local Conaf park ranger Tomás Ormeño, and the Aysén flora expert and coordinator of the Agriculture and Livestock Service (SAG), Fernán Silva Labbé.
“We are visiting the trail sectors to contemplate the ecosystem of the Andean Patagonian forest and the transition to the high Andean zone, and to be able to comment and talk with the community of Cerro Castillo about the park’s scope and how to contribute to human development and the park, as an opportunity for well-being and a better life for the people,” explained Silva at the end of this educational day.
On the other hand, Carolina Cerda, director of Community Outreach of Fundación Rewilding Chile, explained that “what this program seeks is to strengthen and link even more the neighbors of Villa Cerro Castillo with their national park. How do we do it? Through education in nature, through different instances where we can learn and get to know the ecosystems, and what this national park has today and what is the contribution of the national parks“.
“What this program seeks is to strengthen and link even more the neighbors of Villa Cerro Castillo with their national park. How do we do it? Through education in nature, through different instances where we can learn and get to know the ecosystems, and what this national park has today and what is the contribution of the national parks”
One of the participants in the activity was Daisy Medina, a tourism entrepreneur from Villa Cerro Castillo, who positively valued what she described as “a very natural tour, recognizing our environment and discovering the wonders we have. Everything there is about the land, these wetlands, and the meaning of each plant that usually goes unnoticed. It was a very enriching day”.
About Rewilding Chile Outreach Program
Rewilding Chile seeks the implementation of this program to strengthen the link between the local community and the national park, contributing to raising awareness about the importance of the conservation of these ecosystems and developing three strategic lines for all its actions.
Identity and Local Development, valuing both local identity and the cultural and natural heritage of the communities; Local Participation and Governance, strengthening the social fabric with an emphasis on leadership and empowerment of local actors; and Environmental Education, promoting learning about nature, conservation, and promoting outdoor life.