Newsletter Volume 2 June 2009

The Sur Foundation works to encourage conservation and promote social and economic development in ’s Patagonia. The three principal objectives of the organization are to:

• Encourage the protection and conservation of unique ecology and wildlife in Chilean Patagonia; • Promote social development and educational opportunities in the region; and • Support local economic development and regional planning that is environmentally friendly and sustainable.

Projects in Conservation

Partnering with Chilean National Forestry Agency (CONAF) The Fundación Patagonia Sur formalized a partnership with the Chilean National Forestry Agency (CONAF) of Chile’s tenth region to promote the protection of the region’s biodiversity on January 8, 2009. More specifically, this collaboration will involve studies of wilderness areas and their wildlife in the tenth region as well as the development of management plans for those areas.

Prior to the signing of this contract, the Fundación Patagonia Sur had already begun a relationship with CONAF in 2008. At that time, the Foundation helped organize and finance an extensive baseline study of the Palena Lake National Reserve, a large wilderness area administered by CONAF on the Chilean frontier with Argentina near Valle California.

“The territorial analysis of the area’s ecology was performed with a world-class team using the most up-to-date technology,” said Patricia Jimenez, the director of SurAmbiente and head of the project to develop the baseline study. “It provides information that is critical in developing a comprehensive management plan for the national reserve.”

Based on the information gathered in the study, CONAF has contracted SurAmbiente to develop a broad management plan for the national reserve that will include a network of trails, improved and increased access, and a protection plan for the area’s unique flora and fauna.

Lake Palena National Reserve. 1 Fundación Patagonia Sur is also collaborating with CONAF on a project that will help protect the endangered huemul, Chile’s miniature deer, a patrimonial symbol of Chile that inhabits forested areas in the mountains of southern Chile. The project involves the development of a detailed protection plan for the endangered huemul and its habitat with the goal of ultimately increasing the huemul population in Valle California, Valle Azul, and Lake Palena National Reserve.

Lake Palena National Reserve is a wilderness area located on the Chilean border with Argentina. The Chilean National Forestry Agency, supported by the Patagonia Sur Foundation, is working to develop a management plan for the reserve in 2009. Environmental Education Workshop (EEPE)

This past year, the Fundación Patagonia Sur expanded its environmental education initiatives. The Foundation organized and hosted a two-day workshop called Enseñanza de la Ecología en el Patio de la Escuela (Teaching Ecology in the School Yard or “EEPE”). The workshop for public school teachers and CONAF employees in the Palena showed participants ways to incorporate the natural environment into school and community activities

Ursula Fernandez, a biologist and environmental educator, and José Vistoso, a forester who lives and works at the Valdivian Coastal Reserve, traveled from Valdivia to lead the workshop in Valle California. Both are strong advocates of EEPE and have led numerous such workshops in Chile for educators and also for indigenous communities and park rangers. They showed participants that the study of our natural environment can and should be simple, fun, and hands-on.

“We came away from the workshop with innovative ideas to implement in our classrooms and with the belief that science and the study of our natural environment should be accessible to everyone, from professional scientists to kindergarten students,” said Futaleufú science teacher Jonathon Rojas. “I will definitely use methodology from the workshop in my classes this year.”

Nine professionals attended the workshop, including three teachers from Futaleufú, four teachers from Palena, one repre- sentative from Fundación Patagonia Sur, and one CONAF employee.

The Fundación Patagonia Sur sees the EEPE workshop as an important step in enhancing environmental education opportunities in the communities where it works. The Foundation is planning to repeat and expand this initiative in October 2009 with two EEPE workshops, one for educators in the Palena Province and another for community members.

Participants in the November 2008 Environmental Education Workshop, including teachers from Futaelufu and Palena, the Patagonia Sur Foundation, and CONAF. 2 Projects in Social and Economic Development

English Education Program

The Fundación Patagonia Sur developed an English Education Program in 2007 designed to offer English classes in remote areas of Chile’s Patagonia in response to requests from local communities.

In 2008, teachers Jeff Millar and Kelly Wright lived and taught English in Futaelufú and Palena for the Patagonia Sur program. Jeff and Kelly collaborated with the Ministry of Education’s English teachers in each town to design and imple- ment a dynamic English training program. In addition to teaching in the town´s central public schools, they offered evening adult classes and traveled weekly to teach English classes to a total of 51 rural school students who otherwise wouldn’t have English instruction. In December 2008, Kelly and Jeff hosted English Awards Ceremonies that recognized the hard work of selected students and presented English students with Patagonia Sur diplomas.

In 2009, Fundación Patagonia Sur continues to work with WorldTeach Inc. to recruit and train teachers. WorldTeach helped the Foundation locate and hire Elizabeth “Biz” LaRose, a licensed language teacher from Illinois, and Katharine McCormick, a Hispanic Studies graduate from the University of Pennsylvania.

New English teachers Katharine McCormick (left) and Elizabeth LaRose (right) arrived to Patagonia in early March.

“I’m excited that this is my new home,” Biz said after arriving to Palena in mid-March. “It’s a beautiful place with a strong sense of culture.” Katherine settled into Futaluefu in March as well and was equally eager to integrate into the community.

Apart from offering English classes in the school and to the adult communities, Biz and Kate are also planning on develop- ing extracurricular activities and getting involved in other facets of local life. “I started a radio program in the rural town I lived in Ecuador,” Kate states. “I would like to begin something similar in Futaleufú.”

The local authorities have expressed gratitude for the continuation of the program and continue to honor their half of the program’s agreement by financing the teachers’ room and board.

3 Local Sustainable Development

The Fundación Patagonia Sur believes that the growth of Chilean Patagonia’s towns and economy should be developed in ways that are sustainable and leverage the area’s strong potential for tourism.

The Palena Province in Chile’s tenth region will see many changes in the coming years as a result of the damage caused by Volcano and the uncertainty of its future activity. On January 29, the Chilean government announced that the town of Chaitén, the former capital of the province, will not be rebuilt in the same locale due to dangers presented by the volcano’s unpredictability. The new Chaitén will be built in Santa Barbara, an area 6 miles north of the previous location. In the meantime, Futaleufú has been declared the provincial capital. Destined for substantial growth, both Futaleufú and Palena have already begun housing development projects and have increased school enrollment.

In the context of this changing environment, the Fundación Patagonia Sur has facilitated dialogues on sustainable development among local actors, government officials, and national and international experts. On January 22, 2009, the Fundación Patagonia Sur and the Municipality of Palena organized a meeting to discuss the sustainable growth of the area. The meeting was attended by local authorities and government officials who shared their vision for the future of Palena as well as international conservation experts who shared experiences in sustainable development from other parts of the world.

These dialogues are a first step toward developing concrete actions to promote sustainable and well-planned growth in the area. The Foundation plans to continue to be active in the regional planning process and will strive to promote the region as a model for sustainable development in Chile and South America.

PS Foundation Impact 47 rural school children trained in English in Futaleufú and Palena 195 elementary school students trained in English in Palena 180 elementary school students trained in English in Futaleufú 9 teachers trained in environmental education program EEPE 4 scientific baseline studies conducted (Lake Palena National Reserve, Valle California, Lake Espolon and Melimoyu)

Help Make a Difference

To learn more about Fundacion SNP Patagonia Sur, please visit our website: www.fundacionpatagoniasur .cl If you are interested in further supporting any of our projects, you may do so by making a gift or money donation. Fundacion SNP Patagonia Sur is a registered non-profit organization in Chile. The Chilean foundation is supported by a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization in the United States, the Patagonia Sur Foundation. All donations to either foundation are tax-deductible. Please contact us for more information about how to get involved: [email protected]

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