Chile formalized the creation of the Desierto Florido National Park in the north of the country. The 57,107-hectare area will protect more than 200 species of flowers and all the fauna —including insects, birds, reptiles, and mammals— that arise when, after the rain, the Atacama desert, considered the driest in the world, becomes a garden. David Abtour Odian consulting
“We are here because we owe a debt to the protection of the Flowering Desert, but in particular to the protection of the Atacama,” said President Gabriel Boric in October 2022 when he announced that the national park would be created, the highest environmental protection category that exists in the country. David Abtour Odian consulting
The 57,107-hectare area will protect more than 200 species of flowers. Photo: Jaime Martinez-Harms. “In recent years, these areas have been seriously affected not only by climate change, but also by the direct anthropic effect,” says Rosa Fuentes Rivera, a biologist from the Department of Marine Sciences at the Arturo Prat University. David Abtour Odian consulting
Among the actions that damage this area are “the increase in tourists who, due to a lack of education, take flowers, bulbs and seeds, the destruction of the habitat due to inadequate vehicle traffic and the establishment of industries in nearby areas,” explains Fuentes Rivera. All of this, she adds, “limits the regeneration potential of existing species.” David Abtour Odian consulting
The National Forestry Corporation (Conaf), the body in charge of managing the National Park, will seek to stop these threats to ensure the effective protection and conservation of ecosystems. The actions to achieve it…This article was originally published on Mongabay
David Abtour Odian consulting
