Protected Natural Areas - National Parks
Patagonia is influenced by the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, but also by the Andes Mountains. This biogeography is the source of a great variety of ecosystems. The territory has many national parks, reserves and natural monuments, some of which were initiated by American patrons, at the head ofoutdoor companies. This sanctuary aims to reconcile the protection of biodiversity and tourism. Here are some of the most emblematic:
In Argentina:
Los Glaciares National Park: classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is home to numerous glaciers including the Perito Moreno and breathtaking landscapes.
Lanín National Park: is unique for its ancient cold forests known as "Valdivian forests" and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Monte León National Park, on the Patagonian coast, is home to exceptional fauna and flora.
NahuelHuapiNational Park : first Argentine national park, it is famous for its lakes.
Tierradel FuegoNational Park : located near Ushuaia, between land and sea, mountains, lakes and forests, it invites you to discover Tierra del Fuego
Chile:
Torres del Paine National Park: it is famous for its glaciers, lakes and mountains.
Cabo de Hornos National Park : is the southernmost national park on the planet and home to the mythical Cape Horn.
Villarrica National Park: this park is emblematic for its volcano, but also for its mountains and vast forests.
Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park : the oldest national park in Chile, it is home to the Todos los Santos lake and the Osorno volcano.
Patagonia National Park: created in 2018 from a donation of land from the Tompkins Foundation, it is home to a rich biodiversity. It was originally an estancia purchased by Douglas and Kristine Tombkins in 2004, whose land was regenerated. Following the death of her husband, Kristine gave up the land, part of which became Patagonia Park.
Pali Aike National Park: frequented by many vulcanologists, it is renowned for its volcanic geology and in particular a terrain covered with basaltic lava.
Hornopirén National Park, south of Puerto Montt, is home to alerce forests. It is an initiatory journey that invites the visitor between volcano, lake and mountain.
Let's also mention the national reserves: Malalcahuello, Nalcas, Micho Choshuenco, Coyhaique, Lago Cochrane, Cerro Castillo, Lago Jeinimeni, Shöen, Río Simpson, Tamango, Mañihuales, Magallanes, Laguna Parrillar.
And the natural monuments: Alerce Costero, Islotes de Puñihuil, Lahuén Ñadi, Dos Lagunas, Cueva del Milodón, Los Pingüinos.
Anthropogenic pressures on the environment
The European settlers who settled in Patagonia developed extensive sheep farming (wool production) around large estancias surrounded by tens of thousands of hectares of grassland. These continue to shape the landscape. Patagonia also has natural resources: oil, gas, aluminum, copper. In December 2018, the NGO Greenpeace uncovered a scandal involving five oil companies, including Total. Accused of massive illegal dumping of oil residue in storage pools, they are prosecuted by members of the indigenous Mapuche community. This exploitation of resources has often been carried out without respect for either the natural environment or the indigenous people. The Humboldt Penguin National Reserve owes its survival to the tenacity of fishing families in the face of large-scale projects, including a mining project.
Patagonia, laboratory of climate change
The melting of the glaciers, visible to the naked eye, is surely the most palpable element of climate change in Patagonia. Scientists are studying it in order to understand all the mechanisms associated with this phenomenon. In addition to greenhouse gas emissions, the particles released by the mining industry would accentuate the melting of the glaciers, reducing the Albedo effect when they cover them. The country is faced with the dilemma of how to protect the glaciers by continuing its industrial activities Another point that may delight some people is that the warming of the climate is leading to the growth of vineyards in Patagonia (Río Negro, Neuquén and Chubut).
The future of Patagonia and the challenges of responsible tourism
Since the 1990s, tourism has become an important economic resource for the region, which receives nearly 4 million visitors a year. It therefore seems appropriate to preserve the country's natural heritage against mining and forestry exploitation, oil drilling and the construction of dams. Policies are under way to protect more land and thus help maintain biodiversity. In 2019, partly private donations (the Tompkins donation) have made it possible to preserve more than 4 million hectares. The aim is to increase the surface area of the national parks and to connect them to each other, in order to create an ecological corridor allowing the maintenance of the evolutionary dynamics of living beings. These extensions will also make it possible to relieve some of the trails that are very popular with tourists, including Los Glacieres National Park and the Perito Morenno. This has not been done without the protest of some breeders who see the loss of valuable land for their activity (Chacabuco Valley in Patagonia National Park) and the threat of a mining extension project. The development of the new areas is inspired by the Anglo-Saxon model, which is full of signs, and thus denotes the image of Patagonia as a "wilderness". This loss of authenticity at least has the virtue of regulating the movement of tourists. Visitors to Patagonia will also be encouraged to think about ways to limit the carbon and ecological impact of their trip (transport, waste, energy consumption, etc.).
