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Chile

Conserva Puchegüín

The long-term protection of Cochamó’s heartland is now a reality thanks to the efforts of communities, organizations and people from around the world.

January 06, 2026

A man rides a horse through a dense forest surrounded by tall trees and with sunlight filtering through the leaves.
In Puchegüín There are no roads: families living deep in the mountains must travel for days on horseback to reach the nearest Chilean city. © Puelo Patagonia
A detailed map showing the names of the rivers and lakes in the area, highlighting key water features.
Of unparalleled natural beauty, Puchegüín is a territory of 133,000 hectares in the commune of Cochamó (Los Lagos Region), which protects some of the least intervened landscapes of northern Chilean Patagonia. © Conserva Puchegüín

The long-term protection of Fundo Puchegüín —328,000 acres of rivers, forests, mountains and exceptional ecosystems in the heart of Cochamó— represents a historic milestone for conservation in Chile. Thanks to the collective effort of a coalition formed by Puelo Patagonia, The Nature Conservancy, the Freyja Foundation, Patagonia Inc. and the Wyss Foundation, together with many people who shared this vision, more than 78 million dollars were raised to acquire this territory and secure its long‑term protection. This achievement safeguards irreplaceable ecosystems and biodiversity, protects a critical carbon sink, and strengthens a binational conservation corridor that connects 1.6 million hectares of protected areas across Chile and Argentina, enhancing biodiversity, ecological connectivity and the well‑being of communities in the Cochamó Valley.

The long‑term management and stewardship of the area will be led by the Conserva Puchegüín Foundation, a new independent Chilean nonprofit organization. The foundation will implement a science‑based conservation plan co‑designed with local communities, and ensure that at least 80% of the territory will achieve strict protection (as a future national park) while up to 20% will be dedicated to sustainable local development (including low‑impact tourism), in alignment with the implementation of Chile’s Biodiversity and Protected Areas Service (SBAP).

Two male huemul deer in a meadow in the valley. Recent studies identified the northernmost subpopulation of this species in Chilean Patagonia in Puchegüín. © Benjamín Valenzuela
Peaks rising from the Cochamó Valley, with the impressive granite domes of Cerro Trinidad in the background. © Rodrigo Manns
The Puelo River was recently declared a Water Flow Reserve to preserve this vital source of water that sustains the ecosystem. © José Miguel Calvo.

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