Incredibly, thousands of people have learned about how to protect the environment at Las Torres Reserve through different projects. Children, youths and adults have transformed into environmental ambassadors, even without realizing it.
This environmental focus goes back to the beginning of Estancia Cerro Paine (or Cerro Paine Ranch) when its owners decided to transition the land from cattle ranching to sustainable tourism and later conservation. This is how Las Torres Reserve was born.
It goes without saying, the support that was provided by researchers and nature lovers that came to Torres del Paine. The information they gathered later transformed into the teachings of citizens all over the world.
At that time, there was no recording of these visits, but one example we do have is the incipient research of huemul (a type of deer) en Torres del Paine (1), that were supported by the reserve. Later would come other research that was commissioned by the non-profit organization AMA Las Torres Patagonia, the sustainability arm of Las Torres Reserve. Today, there are hundreds of projects like these in effect.
AMA and its Thousands of Environmental Ambassadors
In 2004, AMA, a non-profit organization in Torres del Paine for Torres del Paine, was established by Las Torres Reserve. From here, the AMA was charged with conservation, research, and environmental education. It’s here we talk about thousands of participants. ¡Yes, thousands! How did we get these numbers? With many activities, like, a volunteer program that brings about 300 people here per season.
We also have to include the hundreds of researchers, at least, who have received support or held talks as collaborators for tourism companies as well as the public, and even contributed their knowledge to scientific publications.
In addition, there is a long list of activities that make up our work: annual visits by local, national and foreign educational establishments; hundreds of students learning about and participating in reforesting; talks, courses, and interventions in community fairs; work with the media, trainees, thesis students and park rangers. These are people who learn to take care of the environment and appreciate its intrinsic value.
A Plan for the Future
Las Torres Reserve’s plan for the future centers around environmental education as the key to protecting nature in Patagonia. To achieve this, the reserve aims to develop more activities that could involve a greater number of people. However, the focus would be on increasing the chances of reaching conservation goals rather than targeting a specific number of participants in the programs.
Our community is made up of collaborators, visitors, residents, neighbors, and all those who follow and join conservation actions whether in person or through social networks and the media. This is a local effort to contribute to a global change. We trust that the people who have become involved with the Las Torres Reserve carry these experiences back to their places of origin. They are true ambassadors of the environment that join forces to build a sustainable world from here in Chilean Patagonia to the world.