A symbolic planting in Torres del Paine National Park marked a new advance in the joint work of Fundación Reforestemos, Ultranav, Explora and CONAF to restore the native forests of the area. The project contemplates planting 30,000 lenga trees during 2026 and reaching up to 47,000 specimens by 2027.
With a symbolic planting in Torres del Paine National Park, Fundación Reforestemos, Ultranav, Explora and the National Forest Corporation (CONAF) of Magallanes took a new step in their joint initiative to restore the native forests of this territory, recognized as a global biodiversity hotspot.
The initiative began in 2025 with two pilot projects of 1,000 trees each. This year, meanwhile, it entered its second stage, which considers the planting of 30,000 lenga trees: 24,000 in Torres del Paine National Park and another 6,000 in the Explora Torres del Paine Conservation Reserve. The goal is to reach a total of up to 47,000 specimens by 2027.
The activity was attended by John Revello, regional director of CONAF; Suzanne Wylie, executive director of Fundación Reforestemos; Diego Uribe, Business Development manager of Ultraterra; and Romina Da Pieve, deputy manager of Conservation of Explora. Mónica Alvarado, superintendent of Torres del Paine National Park, and Patricio Salinas, from the Provincial Department of Forests and Climate Change of CONAF, also attended.
The meeting allowed the organizations to reaffirm their commitment to collaborative work and to highlight the need to protect and restore ecosystems of global relevance, both in public and private areas.
Ecosystem restoration: the contribution of each organization
Torres del Paine National Park is home to 17 ecosystems, ranging from the Patagonian steppe and pre-Andean shrublands to the Magellanic forests of lenga, ñirre and coigüe. However, its natural heritage has been affected by large forest fires that, according to CONAF figures, have damaged approximately 39,000 hectares.
The recovery of these spaces involves facing logistical and climatic difficulties, in addition to having species adapted to the conditions of the territory, financing and technical knowledge to carry out restoration work.
Faced with this scenario, the four organizations established an agreement that defines a reforestation plan and distributes responsibilities according to the capacities and experience of each entity.
Ultranav, promoter of the initiative, plays a strategic role by providing all the native plants required for the project. The specimens come from its Otway nursery, located on Isla Riesco, which has international technology.
"For Ultranav, it is especially significant to contribute with plants from our Otway nursery, placing at the service of this alliance a long and successful reforestation experience in this region. This initiative combines innovation and commitment to Magallanes to restore one of Chile's most emblematic ecosystems," highlights Diego Uribe, Business Development Manager of Ultraterra.
For its part, Explora, which has maintained a presence in Torres del Paine for more than 30 years, finances the logistics, labor and transportation necessary to plant the 47,000 specimens. These tasks will be developed both within the national park and in the Explora Torres del Paine Conservation Reserve, a private area of nearly 6,000 hectares where native forest restoration is part of its long-term conservation strategy.
"For us, exploring is the first step to conserving. Those who know a territory up close understand what is at stake and want to protect it. This alliance takes that purpose to another scale: when the State, companies and civil society work together, conservation ceases to be an isolated effort and becomes efficient, continuous and capable of transforming an entire landscape," says Romina Da Pieve, Deputy Manager of Conservation of Explora.
Citizen participation and technical support to restore the forests
Fundación Reforestemos is in charge of articulating the alliance, leading the execution of the project and developing the forestry design for its implementation. In addition, it seeks to promote a financing model through citizen contributions through its website.
Throughout its history, the platform has convened more than 300,000 people from more than 40 countries to contribute to tree planting. This experience will allow the initiative to be brought closer to that community and promote new contributions to expand its scope, with the purpose of doubling the initial goal of 47,000 trees.
"Torres del Paine inspired the birth of Reforestemos after the 2011 fire. Since then, we have worked to restore its forests. This alliance is unprecedented because, for the first time, actors from different sectors come together around a common purpose: to restore ecosystems according to their ecological relevance, both in public and private areas. Their recovery and care are a shared responsibility," says Suzanne Wylie, executive director of Fundación Reforestemos".
The project also has the support of CONAF, an organization that participates in the identification and prioritization of intervention areas within the national park. It also provides technical knowledge and monitors restoration actions.
"The recovery of these ecosystems requires technical knowledge, continuity and a long-term vision. This alliance demonstrates the value of combining public and private capacities to restore priority areas and ensure their conservation for future generations," states John Revello, regional director of CONAF Magallanes.
Finally, the organizations hope that the results of this experience can be extended to other territories in the region and promote new restoration initiatives. To this end, they will seek to identify opportunities for work with communities, municipalities, educational establishments, non-governmental organizations and volunteers.
The alliance thus aims to strengthen collaboration between the public sector, the private sector and civil society as a way to advance in the recovery and conservation of strategic ecosystems.
Source:El Mostrador
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