With a planting of native trees in Villa Las Pataguas in Chillán, the National Forestry Corporation (Conaf) held the regional launch of the "My Town, My Tree" program in the Ñuble region, also marking the beginning of the institutional transition towards the National Forest Service (Sernafor).
The program aims to promote the care of urban trees and more resilient cities in the face of climate change, by strengthening the identity of communities with native species whose names are linked to Chilean forest heritage. Likewise, it will help bring closer the institutional framework that Sernafor will assume, an agency that will have new powers to lead forest management and the country's urban green infrastructure.
The regional milestone was led by the director of Conaf Ñuble, Domingo González Zúñiga; the director of Community Development of the Municipality of Chillán, Zoraya Martínez Saez; and the seremi of the Environment of Ñuble, Angélica Cuevas Palominos, who, together with deputy Carlos Chandía Alarcón, neighborhood leaders, and residents of the area, carried out a symbolic planting of two pataguas (Crinodendron patagua), a native species that gives its name to the sector.
The director of Conaf Ñuble, Domingo González Zúñiga, highlighted that "this launch has a double meaning. On one hand, we are starting the 'My Town, My Tree' program, which rescues the identity of communities linked to our native flora, and at the same time we are beginning the transition process towards the National Forest Service, a new institution with greater powers and faculties to strengthen forest management and work with territories. Having chosen Villa Las Pataguas and planting this native species reflects precisely that commitment to natural heritage and to people."
The director of Community Development of the Municipality of Chillán, Zoraya Martínez Saez, valued the initiative, stating that "it has been a very significant milestone, symbolizing the good work that Conaf has been doing, and which as a municipality we represent, because we believe that the care of public spaces is built together with the community. This program not only beautifies our neighborhoods but also strengthens the identity of residents and promotes a culture of environmental care from the territory."
The seremi of the Environment of Ñuble, Angélica Cuevas Palominos, stated that "incorporating native trees in cities is a concrete action for adapting to climate change and recovering biodiversity. Trees are CO₂ capturers for oxygen generation and for creating more friendly cities, which is why it is key to raise people's awareness regarding their relationship with the environment."
Finally, the president of the Advancement and Development Committee of Villa Las Pataguas, Marco Herrera Rivas, highlighted that this neighborhood is made up of 375 families, which is why "for our community it is very significant that this program begins here and that the chosen species is precisely the patagua, which is part of the identity of our neighborhood. We hope to take care of these trees so that future generations can enjoy them."
The regional launch is part of the first stage of the "My Town, My Tree" program, which will continue to develop in other localities across the country, also adding technical advice, environmental education sessions, and new opportunities for strengthening urban trees, along with dissemination activities regarding the implementation process of the National Forest Service (Sernafor).
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