Summaries
Protected Wild Areas
– Our country has 95 protected wild areas (32 national parks, 48 national reserves and 15 natural monuments).
– The National Forest Corporation (CONAF) is a body in charge of cataloging, conserving and maintaining the protected wild areas in our country.
– The main difference between parks and national reserves is in the usage of their natural resources. In reserves, it is possible to use natural resources for commercial purposes, while it is not possible in parks.
– National parks include Lauca, Fray Jorge Forest, La Campana, Nahuelbuta, Hornopiren, Torres del Paine, and others.
– National reserves include Las Vicuñas, Peñuelas Lake, Los Ruiles, Malleco, Castillo Hill, Las Guaitecas, Magallanes, and others.
– Throughout the country, 15 zones have been declared Natural Monuments. For example, Surire Saltpan, Ñielol Hill and Milodon Cave.
Other categories
– Nature sanctuaries are one of the 5 categories of National Monuments.
– Nature sanctuaries include Dragon Hill, Conchali Lake, Yerba Loca Nature Sanctuary, the Hualpen Peninsula, and others.
– Protected Marine and Coastal areas are made up of water, sea floor, rocks, beaches, public beaches (including their flora and fauna) and the historic and cultural resources of their surroundings. They are protected.
– Our country has 9 Ramsar sites, among which are included the Tara saltpan, El Yali and Lomas Bay.
