Showing posts with label Torres del Paine National Park. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Torres del Paine National Park. Show all posts

February 22, 2017

Hernán Torres (1946-2017): A Great Nature Lover



by Marcela Torres

It was January 2000 and my dad and I were sitting on top of a rocky promontory in Torres del Paine National Park, in southern Chile, withstanding the strong cold Patagonian winds that pierced through our parkas, gloves and hats. But we were on a mission: To photograph the elusive Andean Condor.

We were fortunate enough to stay at a park ranger post, where the staff gave us tips on the best spots to find the Condor. Since this is a scavenger bird, they suggested we take with us some really stinky cat food that would surely do the trick of attracting it to us.

Following their instructions, we trekked for hours through the tall grasslands of the “pampa” to reach one of the hills they had recommended. It was a rocky mount, completely barren, but after climbing it we discovered it provided a great lookout point. There we sat, with our stock of smelly cat food, and waited, and waited, and waited…

As we waited, I remembered how we came to be there on the first place. In 1982, the BBC produced one of my dad’s favorite documentaries, “The Flight of the Condor”. Mind you, he got a copy and played it over and over again. Being just a girl, I was more into cartoons and Michael Jackson videos, but I ended up liking this incredible film about a bird that is a national symbol in most Andean countries, including Chile, where we lived.

In fact, it wasn’t the first time I had enjoyed a national park with him. My dad had been Regional Director for CONAF, the agency in charge of Chilean protected areas, in Arica between 1974 and 1985. As a child, I traveled with him many times to Lauca National Park, in the high Andes, during his field visits. He taught me about the Vicuña, the Flamingos, the Vizcacha, and the Condor.

It was so much fun that I never paid attention to the cold and loved accompanying him while he photographed nature, which was his passion. When I turned nine, he gave me my first camera, a Polaroid that I still have, and taught me how use it. I was so happy that I took pictures of everything!!

Thanks to him, my family and I enjoyed living in Ann Arbor, Michigan; San José, Costa Rica; New Haven, Connecticut; and Arlington, Virginia. This gave us some unforgettable experiences, such as camping around the Great Lakes and visiting all of the beautiful national parks in these areas.

Torres del Paine had always been on my wish list. So, when he offered to take me in 2000, I said yes immediately! And there we were, waiting for the condor…

A couple of hours had gone by and we had almost lost all hope when suddenly, out of nowhere, a huge bird appeared flying straight towards us. It was a Condor! We quickly ditched our gloves and grabbed our cameras, getting ready to take great shots of this amazing animal. But in only a few seconds it was right on top of us!

As it came, and we realized how low it was flying, we instinctively leaned back until we lay flat on the rock.  It was such an awesome sight, having this massive bird glide only a meter above us, that we completely froze. We could see all the details of its belly and the long wings. When we snapped out of our awe, we realized we had not taken any pictures! So, we quickly rolled over on our bellies and started shooting with our cameras to try to catch at least a glimpse of the Condor. It was too late! We were only able to capture a tiny speck that was quickly flying away from us towards higher altitudes.

We stayed there a while, letting the experience sink in. It had been so amazing! Finally, we grabbed our cameras and the stinky cat food and walked back to the park ranger post. At night, while we sat with the rangers around a fire sharing a “mate” (muh-teh) –a typical Patagonia herbal tea-, they laughed at our adventure.

Our common love for nature led us to co-author two editions of the Guide to Chile’s National Parks (1999and 2004), in Spanish, and to work together in the development of the firstsustainable visitor center in a protected area in Chile, in Los FlamencosNational Reserve, between 2005 and 2006. That experience made me decide to study my Master in Ecotourism at James Cook University, in Cairns, Australia, in 2009.

My dad always supported my endeavors and often contributed with photographs for my blog. He was a member of several professional associations and chaired for many years the IUCN South American Camelid Specialist Group, promoting the conservation of the vicuña until the end of his life. I will continue contributing as well, honoring his memory.

He passed away on Saturday, February 18, 2017. It is still so recent that it’s hard to believe… I still feel him close… He will be with me forever… And my love and gratitude for all that he taught me will remain…


HERNÁN TORRES BIO

Hernán held a Master of Environmental Studies from Yale University and a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources from The University of Michigan, both in the United States. He was Regional Director for CONAF (1974-1981 and 1984-1985); team leader for protected areas management plans at the CATIE, in Costa Rica (1986-1988); Protected Areas Specialist of The Nature Conservancy’s Caribbean Region Department (1995-1998); and an accomplished international consultant in protected area planning and management, sustainable development, ecosystem services and biodiversity, working with multilateral agencies, such as the UNDP, UNEP, World Bank and RAMSAR, and actively participating in IUCN initiatives until the end.

March 29, 2014

Hope for Torres del Paine


Native forests in Torres del Paine National Park.
© HernánTorres


by Marcela Torres

The disastrous fire that razed 17,606 hectares (43,505 acres) of forests in Torres del Paine National Park between December 2011 and January 2012 inspired many people in Chile and other countries to help.

For example, some firefighting brigades from Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Australia, came to provide assistance in controlling the emergency. Other people, in turn, raised their voices through the social networks demanding greater responsibility in tourism and support for the reforestation of Patagonia. Response was quick and in this entry we highlight two initiatives that bring hope for Torres del Paine National Park.

Rotem Zinger and the “Black to Green” Campaign

Who is Rotem Zinger? The Israeli tourist who caused the last fire in the Park. To avoid extending the trial against him, in February 2012 Zinger settled with the Puerto Natales Court a payment of 10 thousand United States dollars in compensation for the damages resulting from his actions and he will have to work as a volunteer between one and two years for the international non-governmental organization Keren Kayemet LeIsrael –which specializes in reforestation and has an office in Chile- taking over the role of coordinating the campaign “Torres del Paine, from Black to Green”.

The aim is to raise funds to reproduce at least 50,000 plants of native forest species in greenhouses in Puerto Natales that are owned by the National Forestry Corporation (CONAF) –government agency that manages protected areas in Chile- in order to use them in the reforestation of the National Park. Zinger is forced to promote the initiative through different media, particularly among the Jewish community in Chile and its website, replicating the campaign carried out in 2011 to reforest Mount Carmel in Israel. In addition, he will need to present progress reports every three months to CONAF.

Although public opinion in Chile did not initially believe he would see this campaign through, something has already been done. On April 22 the initiative was officially launched with a call to the Chilean Jewish community in to continue showing its loyalty to Chile and Israel by supporting this effort to bring back the green to Torres del Paine.

Donations are being received in the following account:
Corporación Keren Kayemet Leisrael FNJ Chile
RUT 65.009.118-3
Banco Corpbanca
Cuenta Corriente Nº 3331692

Let’s Reforest Patagonia

At the beginning of May, a campaign called “Let’s Reforest Patagonia” was launched by several governmental institutions and non-governmental environmental organizations. This original initiative seeks to organize citizens to donate 1 million native trees that will be planted in the Torres del Paine and Laguna San Rafael national parks and in the Lago Carlota and Cerro Castillo national reserves during 2012.

How does this work? For each US $4.00, people making donations will be able to have a tree under their name in Patagonia. A grid is displayed on the website with green trees and burnt trees. To make a donation, a person must click on a burnt tree. Once the transaction has been made, the person receives a certificate with the coordinates of the place where the tree will be planted.

So far, the campaign has obtained funds to reforest more than 67,000,000 trees, according to the website’s counter. Therefore, there’s still time to help restore the beautiful Chilean Patagonia.

Let’s do it! Hope is not lost yet!

This entry was originally posted by the author on June 6, 2012.

Impacts of Fire in Torres del Paine




Tourist testimonial in Torres del Paine, 2012. 
© Sernatur
by Marcela Torres

More than 16,000 hectares (39,537 acres) were destroyed by the fire caused by the irresponsible conduct of a tourist that forced Torres del Paine National Park to close between Thursday, December 29, 2011 and Wednesday, January 4, 2012. Until last week, CONAF –the government agency in charge of managing protected areas in Chile- still had firefighters putting out new fires in different sectors of the park.

Although most of the fire is now under control and the park is slowly picking up its normal pace, a permanent environmental damage has been caused in one of the most beautiful places in the world.

Because the only person accused or starting the fire is an Israeli citizen and this is the second time in 2011 that a tourist from that country caused a disaster in the park, the Government of Israel announced that it will send a delegation of experts in reforestation who will pass on the experience obtained from recovering forests in the Carmel area, a year ago. In addition, it will make a direct contribution in trees, by setting up a greenhouse especially designed for the reforestation of Torres del Paine.

However, the native forest that was destroyed is composed of trees that grow very slowly and reach maturity when they’re approximately 200 years old. They also need to be protected from the cold, the wind during the winter and the dryness during the summer.

Therefore, it’s not just a matter of replanting small trees, but also of providing them the necessary conditions to grow. In addition, it’s important to consider that large part of the fire was expanded underground and affected the area’s soil. Wildlife living in the park will probably return to the damaged sectors only to find them completely barren and will have to move elsewhere in search of food and shelter.

Several national and international teams of researchers are already studying the environmental impacts of the fire in order to contribute to prepare an effective recovery plan.

Economic Impact

The forced closure of the park also affected local economy, which largely depends on incomes generated by thousands of foreign tourists that visit the area during the high season, between November and February.

It is estimated that tourism business owners lost $2 million dollars, although this is still a preliminary figure to which we need to add what they will have stopped receiving during the season. Many of them have made great efforts to avoid lay-offs because their employees were relying on the salaries they would obtain these months.

Despite the park’s partial opening, data provided by the authorities reflect that visits have dropped 50% in January. The Chilean Government has allocated resources to support micro and small tourism enterprises in the area and has launched an aggressive international promotion campaign to maintain the flow of visitors to the park in 2012 and 2013.

Opportunity for Responsible Tourism

This sad experience in Torres del Paine National Park reminds us once again of the importance of promoting responsible tourism. The lessons learned apply both to the destination and its visitors, revealing the need to carry out awareness campaigns with all stakeholders involved in order to ensure that future generations can enjoy this beautiful place in Patagonia.

This entry was originally posted by the author on January 28, 2012.

New fire in Torres del Paine




by Marcela Torres

We are ending 2011 with sad news as a result of the irresponsibility of a tourist. A new fire is affecting Torres del Paine National Park, which has burnt 5,700 hectares (14,085 acres) of vegetation and has forced authorities to evacuate tourists and close the national park, as you can see in the video.

Once more, this disaster reminds us that greater precautions need to be taken to practice responsible tourism in protected areas, in order to avoid damaging them and ensuring they can be enjoyed by future generations.

The Government of Chile, through its Ministry of Interior and the National Emergency Office (ONEMI), is working to contain the fire and looking for support from specialized firefighting units. It is very difficult to control fires in Torres del Paine, however, because the strong Patagonian winds propagate fires very quickly.

I’ve already discussed in a previous blog the need to practice responsible tourism at the national park and to be careful with bonfires that are lit during the night. However, it seems necessary to take more extreme measure to prevent and mitigate the impacts of tourism in Torres del Paine.

Among other measures, it would be wise to forbid camping in the national park. There are already enough places to stay in within the park and more alternatives can be promoted in the nearby town of Torres del Paine. Apparently there is also a need for greater resources to patrol the area and control tourist activity.

In this context, it is worthwhile to remember that the National Forestry Corporation (CONAF), the government agency in charge of managing protected areas in Chile, has clear regulations for visitors that are available on the website in Spanish and English. It seems worthwhile to be reminded of some of them to make sure that we act as responsible tourists when visiting a natural area:
  • Follow the instructions given by park rangers, including times for visiting, signs and maintenance of facilities in the Protected Wilderness Area.
  • Follow rules for safety. Walk only along marked trails and roads. In case you are planning a long hike, do not go alone, and take the appropriate equipment and clothes. Inform the park rangers about the route and time of return of your trip.
  • Make fires only in the places provided for doing so. After making a fire, put it out using large amounts of water. Wildfires and people with a careless attitude are always a potential danger to nature.

We hope that measures are finally taken and that tourists be more careful so that we will not have to witness another disaster such as this one in a place that attracts thousands of domestic and foreign visitors each year because of its unique beauty, wildlife and fantastic trails.

This entry was originally posted by the author on December 30, 2011.

Be careful with that bonfire!


Torres del Paine National Park.
© Hernán Torres

by Marcela Torres

All over the world there are protected areas of great natural beauty and we need to be careful not to damage them when we visit so that they can be enjoyed by future generations. Fire out of control is one of the greatest risk factors, particularly in forests and grasslands.

In February, 2005 a forest fire that lasted 10 days in Torres del Paine National Park destroyed more than 13,000 hectares (32,000 acres), approximately 7% of its area. The cause was the inflammation of a gas stove a Czech tourist used in a grassland area where camping was not authorized. The disaster was such that the Czech Republic quickly offered help to restore the damaged sectors and sent Czech experts. The forest cooperation project “Assistance to renew Torres del Paine National Park ecosystems damaged by the fire” ended in December, 2010. It ran for five years and included forestation with 180,000 Lenga (Nothofagus pumilio) plants.

Torres del Paine National Park is one of the nature tourism icons in Chile. Located in the Chilean Patagonia, it covers a total of 181,414 hectares (448,284 acres) and is among the preferred worldwide destinations for trekking, particularly for its famous W circuit. In 1978 it was declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO, because it is among the most representative regions of the different ecosystems in the world that also provide opportunities to measure human impacts on the environment.

The rock formations known as the “towers of Paine”, the Grey and Dickson glaciers, the numerous waterfalls and lakes and its abundant wildlife, that includes endangered species such as the Condor, the Puma and the Huemul deer, are among the main attractions of this protected area. After the 2005 fire, it was believed that tourists would have learned about the importance of staying in the areas set aside for visitors.

However, in February, 2011 a new fire was again cause for grief. An Israeli tourist that lit a bonfire in an unauthorized area initiated another fire that did not have the same catastrophic consequences as the previous one because the rain that was falling helped control the flames. The tourist was expelled from the National Park and declared an unwelcome visitor because of his irresponsibility.

The National Forestry Corporation (CONAF), the government agency in charge of managing protected areas in Chile, has clear regulations for visitors available on the website in Spanish and English. It seems worthwhile to be reminded of some of them to make sure that we act as responsible tourists when visiting a natural area:
  • Follow the instructions given by the park rangers, including times for visiting, signs and maintenance of facilities in the Protected Wilderness Area.
  • Follow rules for safety. Walk only along marked trails and roads. In case you are planning a long hike, do not go alone, and take the appropriate equipment and clothes. Inform the park rangers about the route and time of return of your trip.
  • Make fires only in the places provided for doing so. After making a fire, put it out using large amounts of water. Wildfires and people with a careless attitude are always a potential danger to nature.

Now that the high season for tourism in Chile is approaching, we hope we will not have to witness a new fire in Torres del Paine National Park. Conserving our wonderful natural heritage for future generations is a task for all of us.

This entry was originally posted by the author on September 20, 2011.