Public-Environmental Alliance to Drive Recovery of Nonguén National Park

Within the framework of Earth Day, the National Forestry Corporation (Conaf), together with the Ministry of the Environment and the Biodiversity and Protected Areas Service (SBAP), announced a strategic alliance to advance the ecological recovery of Nonguén National Park, affected by the "Rancho Chico" wildfire.

According to Conaf's technical registry, the fire damaged a total of 198.1 hectares, with a significant impact on different types of vegetation cover. Of the total, 38.3% corresponds to native forest, 36.3% to mixed forest, 13.3% to scrubland, and 11.8% to pine plantations, in addition to smaller areas of grasslands and bare soil.

The regional director of Conaf Biobío, Álvaro González, highlighted that this initiative will allow coordinating institutional capacities to restore the ecosystem. "The goal is not only to recover the park but also to strengthen its resilience against future events associated with climate change," he stated.

Along the same lines, the Regional Minister of the Environment, Mario Delannays, valued the alliance as an opportunity to rebuild the landscape and reinforce the park's role as a key natural space for the region. "This peri-urban park should be a source of pride for the inhabitants of Biobío," he indicated.

From SBAP, its regional director, Rodrigo Jara, underscored the importance of moving toward coordinated long-term management, while the Regional Minister of National Assets, Matías Ruiz, highlighted that this process will also allow projecting the future administration of the park under the new service.

The plan contemplates a progressive restoration model, combining assisted natural regeneration with active reforestation using native species from the deciduous forest of Concepción. In a first phase, interventions will focus on the "4 Aguas" (25 hectares) and "El Queule" (21 hectares) sectors, starting with work on a prioritized 3-hectare polygon.

The initiative seeks not only to recover the affected areas but also to lay the foundations for sustainable long-term management of the park.