KARUKINKA A DECADE OF CONSERVATION

KARUKINKA A DECADE OF CONSERVATION

Karukinka is a place like no other on Earth. At the southern tip of Patagonia in Chile lies a vast haven for biodiversity with verdant cathedral forests, lush wetlands, and snow-capped mountains. This magnificent reserve shelters Tierra del Fuego s iconic guanaco, its majestic Andean condor, and the endangered culpeo fox. Intact forests and peat bogs here hold vast reservoirs of carbon and water, containing nearly 300 million tons of carbon dioxide. Like a forest in miniature, Karukinka s peatlands shelter an incredibly rare variety of mosses, lichens, insects, and fish. Seaward of Karukinka Reserve is Admiralty Sound, where elephant seals, sea lions, penguins, and seabirds thrive in icy fjords. Despite a light human footprint, the region s natural wealth supports important fisheries, mining, and tourism enterprises. left: Karukinka provides protection to the largest guanaco population in Chile. below: An incredibly wide array of wildlife is found in Karukinka, including the Andean condor. 10 Years of Conservation The Wildlife Conservation Society s story in Karukinka began with one of the largest gifts for conservation from the private sector in history. The Goldman Sachs donation to WCS of this ecologically important region now a 735,000 acre reserve has grown into a unique public-private alliance where Chilean conservation professionals lead the reserve s management. While any single park s boundaries are limited, this one s scope of influence is significant. Since its establishment, Karukinka has become a model for conservation and education throughout the Patagonian coast. Karukinka provides a unique natural laboratory where WCS conservationists explore and address the complex problems facing flora, fauna, and people in and around the reserve. We have built strong relationships with the Chilean government and other stakeholders in the region largely through scientific demonstration, using facts gathered through tireless research and monitoring of native wildlife. We have studied a range of Patagonian wildlife over the last decade, and among our many findings, we have: Recorded migratory patterns and estimated the population of guanacos in Karukinka at 60 percent of the total population across Chile. Determined how elephant seals use their habitats; for example, we estimate they are traveling distances of more than 28,000 kilometers each year along the Patagonian coasts of Chile and Argentina more than a round trip flight from Santiago to Sydney. With these and other important conservation data, WCS is working to ensure projects like mines and fisheries around Karukinka are sustainably managed. Karukinka Reserve hosts many hikers, cyclists, kayakers, and other visitors annually, including urban and local schoolchildren who participate in a unique cultural and learning exchange.

Karukinka s forests are home to the largest intact stands of sub-antarctic old growth forests in the Southern Hemisphere. Before Karukinka, there was no tourist destination on the Chilean side of Tierra del Fuego. Today, Tierra del Fuego is one of the Chilean government s six tourism targets in Patagonia, with Karukinka serving as the region s main attraction. above left: The six species of trees found in Karukinka form the most stunning forests: Southern, Antarctic and evergreen beech; winter s bark; Chilean firebush; and Magellan s mayten cover the mountains with greens, reds, yellows, and oranges. above right: More than 400 species of flora and fungi have been recorded in Karukinka. right: In Karukinka, at least 99 species of animals have been recorded. The most elusive and scarce is the Fueguian culpeo fox, which takes refuge in the forested areas of the park. 2004 On September 10, Karukinka Reserve is donated to WCS by Goldman Sachs to be protected in perpetuity. Meaning our land, its name was chosen to honor the extinct Selk nam people. 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 The Karukinka Advisory Council is established with representatives from Chilean business and scientific sectors. WCS begins a rigorous process of sciencebased, locally integrated conservation planning and management for Karukinka, implements biological research, and designs a Public Use Plan for visitors. Karukinka is expanded from 680,000 acres to 735,000 acres, providing greater ecological connectivity. In response to the threat of invasive beavers, Chile and Argentina sign a bilateral agreement to restore Patagonian forests. Carbon levels within Karukinka s peatlands are estimated at more than 290 million tons. Karukinka Marine Program launches. WCS, in partnership with scientists and government officials, identifies the priority conservation areas along the Patagonian coast. WCS develops a regional conservation vision for the entire Patagonian Coast, anchored in the model of Karukinka. WCS receives the Forjadores Ambientales (Conservation Promoters) award from the Chilean Ministry of Environment. The Government of Tierra del Fuego, informed by WCS s scientific research, declares the province free from salmon farming, a major threat to the conservation of the Patagonian coasts in Chile. WCS forges partnership with Lindblad / National Geographic Cruises to include Karukinka in their Patagonia Expedition. This partnership promotes Karukinka as one of the region s most unique ecotourism destinations. Publications authored by WCS conservationists in Karukinka number more than 45 scientific reports and 22 peerreviewed articles. Nearly 50 seminars and graduate theses are completed.

More than 160 kilometers of trails enable visitors to explore the wilderness and beauty of Karukinka, including one that takes hikers right up to the coastline with opportunities to view stunning glaciers and experience the Darwin Mountain Range. We realized we could create value by turning this land into a park for the benefit of the people of Chile and the world. Lloyd Blankfein, Chairman and CEO of Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. photo credits Daniela Droguett WCS Thierry Dupradou Julie Larsen Maher WCS WCS Ricardo Muza WCSS Guy Wenborne The Future of Conservation To conserve Karukinka, WCS has formed close collaborations at many levels local, national, regional, and international and across sectors. Strong partnerships and continued funding will remain imperative to long-term ecological and economic sustainability. Over the next 10 years, we will further our strong base of applied conservation research and collaboration. We envision using the Karukinka model to create a vast network of terrestrial and marine protected areas across Patagonia that work in concert to protect wildlife. We seek a clear commitment by the private sector to no-net-loss of biodiversity throughout the region. And we ultimately aim to ensure this landscape can continue providing value to local economies for generations, while serving as a model that can be replicated globally. Karukinka is truly one of the few remaining wild places on the planet. With proper stewardship, its natural capital and local people can thrive for decades to come. From its inception, partnership was at the heart of Karukinka s story, and partnership is core to WCS s conservation success. Cristián Samper, President and CEO of the Wildlife Conservation Society VISION: WCS envisions a world where wildlife thrives in healthy lands and seas, valued by societies that embrace and benefit from the diversity and integrity of life on earth. MISSION: WCS saves wildlife and wild places worldwide through science, conservation action, education, and inspiring people to value nature.

A single glance at the landscape was sufficient to show me how widely different it was from anything I had ever beheld. Charles Darwin, upon first viewing the Karukinka region wcs.org goldmansachs.com goldmansachs.com/karukinka karukinka.cl