A private nature restoration project in Aysén, Chilean Patagonia

  • Activité récente : 18 juin 2025

Disponibilité

  2025 

 Séjour min. souhaité : Au moins trois semaines

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Infos

  • Description

    Description

    The project:
    We are a retired but still very active couple, Australian and Swiss, John and Elena. After many years of work in international institutions dedicated to environmental protection, we decided to invest our efforts, time and knowledge in active hands-on nature restoration and protection.

    Our project is a private nature protected area and is focusing on several aspects of ecosystem restoration, the main being large-scale and nature-friendly reforestation with native trees, complemented by wetlands' and other ecosystems' rehabilitation, erosion control, de-farming activities, land conservation, protection from uncontrollably developing local tourism and long-term legal protection of the achievements. The project is a non-profit private initiative, it has now been in operation for about 20 years. The reason for such a project in the region of Aysen (Chile) is the fact that the ecosystems (mainly ancient primary forest) were severely and irreversibly destroyed by colonisation through deliberate fires and subsequent cattle raising in the mid-XX century. The project is designed to attenuate, and where possible repair, the catastrophic damage done to nature by the colonisation of the last century.

    It is located in Leones valley, in the heart of Chilean Patagonia, 260 km South of Coyhaique (the capital of the region and the airport), between the villages Puerto Rio Tranquilo and Puerto Guadal. The area is isolated and remote, far from any public transport, it is neighbouring the Laguna San Rafael National park. You will feel like at the end of the world, and it is the case indeed.

  • Types d'aide et opportunités d'apprendre

    Types d'aide et opportunités d'apprendre

    Aide avec des éco-projets
    Jardinage
    Bricolage et construction
    S’occuper des animaux
    Aide dans une ferme
    Entretien général
    Home sitting
  • Centres d’intérêt

    Centres d’intérêt

    Dev. durable
    Ferme
    Animaux
    Menuiserie
    Nature
  • Objectifs de développement durable de l’ONU que cet hôte essaie d'atteindre

    Objectifs de développement durable de l’ONU que cet hôte essaie d'atteindre

    Objectifs de l’ONU
    Pas de pauvreté
    Faim «zéro»
    Bonne santé et bien-être
    Éducation de qualité
    Égalité entre les sexes
    Eau propre et assainissement
    Énergie propre et d'un coût abordable
    Travail décent et croissance économique
    Industrie, innovation et infrastructure
    Inégalités réduites
    Villes et communautés durables
    Consommation et production responsables
    Mesures relatives à la lutte contre les changements climatiques
    Vie aquatique
    Vie terrestre
    Paix, justice et institutions efficaces
    Partenariats pour la réalisation des objectifs
  • Echange culturel et opportunités d'apprendre

    Echange culturel et opportunités d'apprendre

    Depending on your interests, you will learn how to set up life in a remote place off-grid (energy supply, communication, sanitation etc.), different aspects of nature-oriented reforestation and problems related to it on regional and local levels, the reality of the degraded state of the ecosystems of the region. There will be very limited exposure to the local, mainly colonial culture, as the project is designed to repair the damage done by it.

    As the damaged nature of the area does not need publicity encouraging additional stress, we will ask you not to expose the project to social networks and other media, for the sake of nature protection and the volunteering programme. It is focusing on protection of the privacy of nature until the times when nature's rights are accepted as part of legislations. Therefore, please DO NOT apply if you are linked to any type of media, photography or film making industry, or intend to do any filming, interviews or develop posts for social media. If any, such an exposure of the project would be legally contested. Also, please not apply if you are interested in tourism development: global tourism is one of the main drivers of climate change which is impacting badly the local ecosystems, in particular glaciers which are melting very fast in the region.

  • Aide

    Aide

    Our project cannot be used as a life-changing experience: we would ask you to use the skills that you acquired in your professional or personal lives, so please tell us more about your skills. The skills that are of particular value now are hands-on forestry; work on farms; experience with power tools, brush-cutter and chain saw; electricity. The priority needs of the moment are:
    Managing and thinning pine trees in plantations
    Installing fires breaks
    House maintenance, eg painting buildings;
    Maintaining trees in orchards;
    Work with seedings in nursery;
    Repairing fences, and cutting grass and vegetation along fences;
    Clearing trails and water lines;
    Cutting grass for hay;
    Collecting firewood;
    Maintenance of energy systems: pico-hydro, solar and wind;
    Installing and reviewing camera traps for wildlife;
    Monitoring for neighbours’ animals in the property;
    Control of invasive plants;
    Feeding a couple of horses;
    Maintaining a little organic garden.

    Most probably, you will help with small individual projects. For the time being you will not participate in the tree planting as, in order to be effective, it is done by professionals and is season-depending.
    We would appreciate it if we can learn new skills from you.
    The jobs are mainly physical but rewarding, and depend on the season and weather. Life and work are not separated here, like on farms in the old days. In order to keep a humane dimension and a family style of the volunteering experience, we can host 2 volunteers (grand maximum 3), prepared for lonely life in the wilderness. The project operates in English, so you would need to speak English, we also welcome French-speakers so we can practice French.
    Some maturity is required for such an experience. It's important you have a driver's licence, as the project is located away from any type of transportation and you would need to cover long distances within the project.
    Please do not apply if you are anti-vax, it is neither tolerated in the country, nor in the project.

  • Langues parlées

    Anglais: Courant
    Français: Courant
    Espagnol: Intermédiaire

  • Hébergement

    Hébergement

    Accommodation is simple but comfortable: an independent small house with electricity, running water and cooking facilities. We will provide groceries, of course, but you will have to cook for yourself. There is no TV, and internet connexion is reasonable but not ideal, breaking frequently. We are not connected to the grid, the power is generated locally by small sustainable sources (you will have an introduction to those).

  • Autres infos...

    Autres infos...

    You will be able to travel in the region around the lake General Carrera. The national parks, including the neighbouring Laguna San Rafael park, have restricted access. Glaciers, such as Exploradores or Calluqueo, are within reach in neighbouring valleys. You can also hike in the property and might have privileged encounters with wildlife (native foxes, local protected deer huemul, armadillos, lots of birds). The region is interesting in terms of geology and geomorphology.
    We are very remotely located. Please do not apply if you are not planning to travel for a long time in the region, it's not worth coming just for our project.
    You shall be ready for difficult times with mosquitoes and horseflies. Lots of pollen in summer, allergies can occur.
    Take all necessary medication with you, no medical assistance is available in the area.
    The area is expensive and, generally, the service is not good.
    As we are not a business or a company, we are not covered by the same insurances as a business activity, so you should take it into account.

  • Informations complémentaires

    Informations complémentaires

    • Accès Internet

    • Accès Internet limité

      Accès Internet limité

    • Nous avons des animaux

    • Nous sommes fumeurs

    • Familles bienvenues

  • Combien de volontaires pouvez-vous accueillir ?

    Combien de volontaires pouvez-vous accueillir ?

    Deux

N° de référence hôte : 949946794469

Sécurité du site

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Exactitude du profil:
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Échange culturel:
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