‘I can’t think of a place more pristine’: 133,000 hectare...

What’s Happening

So basically Exclusive: Ancient forests and turquoise rivers of the Cochamó Valley protected from logging, damming and development A wild valley in Chilean Patagonia has been preserved for future generations and protected from logging, damming and unbridled development after a remarkable fundraising effort by local groups, the Guardian can reveal.

The 133,000 hectares (328,000 acres) of pristine wilderness in the Cochamó Valley was bought for $78m (£58m) after a grassroots campaign led by the The turquoise waters of the Puelo River. Only 15,000 visitors a year are allowed into this pristine ecosystem. (wild, right?)

Photograph: José Miguel Calvo View image in fullscreen The turquoise waters of the Puelo River.

The Details

Photograph: José Miguel Calvo Chile ‘I can’t think of a place more pristine’: 133,000 hectares of Chilean Patagonia preserved after local fundraising Exclusive: Ancient forests and turquoise rivers of the Cochamó Valley protected from logging, damming and development Jonathan Franklin Fri 19 Dec 2025 04. 00 EST Last modified on Fri 19 Dec 2025 06.

44 EST A wild valley in Chilean Patagonia has been preserved for future generations and protected from logging, damming and unbridled development after a remarkable fundraising effort , the Guardian can reveal. The now-protected ecosystem is 383 times the size of Manhattan’s Central Park, or 800 times as big as London’s Regent’s Park.

Why This Matters

The lush, forested Cochamó Valley is home to waterfalls, emerald green rivers, hummingbirds and condors. The ancient forests hold groves of alerce trees that sprouted about 1,000BC, four centuries before the rise of the Roman empire. The newly acquired lands hold 11% of the remaining alerce forests on Earth.

Global events like this tend to have ripple effects worldwide.

Key Takeaways

• Logged for their solid, water-resistant trunk, alerce wood was fashioned into ship masts and telephone poles.
• View image in fullscreen The thick reddish bark on the alerce tree allows it to survive forest fires, droughts and 11ft of annual rainfall.

The Bottom Line

Logged for their solid, water-resistant trunk, alerce wood was fashioned into ship masts and telephone poles. View image in fullscreen The thick reddish bark on the alerce tree allows it to survive forest fires, droughts and 11ft of annual rainfall.

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