FAQ

In Chile, Nature Sanctuaries are defined as all terrestrial or marine sites, public or private, that possess significant natural characteristics—such as flora, fauna, geological formations, ecosystems, or landscapes—and require special protection for their conservation. These areas offer unique or exceptional conditions for geological, paleontological, zoological, botanical, or ecological studies and research, the preservation of which is of interest to science or the State. This is a category of protected area established by the National Monuments Law.

Privately Protected Areas (PPAs) are terrestrial or marine territories managed for conservation under private governance. Their main objective is the long-term conservation of biodiversity and associated cultural values.

It is a dynamic complex of plant, animal, and microorganism communities and the environment in which they develop, interacting as a functional unit. In other words, it is a unit formed by biotic factors (or living beings) and abiotic factors (physical and chemical elements of the environment) in which vital interactions occur, energy flows, and matter cycles.

Because it holds immense value as a reserve of endemic biodiversity in the Aysén region of Patagonia. This sanctuary allows for the preservation of ecosystems that remain untouched by human intervention and protects endemic species that are threatened or listed in conservation categories.

The Meullín-Puye Nature Sanctuary safeguards the essential functions of ecosystems, such as the physical, biological, and geochemical processes that sustain life. These processes provide clean air, water, biodiversity, and unique landscapes, contributing directly or indirectly to human well-being.

The concept of ecosystem services is defined as the direct and indirect contribution of nature to human well-being. Ecosystem services are traditionally classified into the following groups:

• Provision (e.g., timber, water).
• Regulation (e.g., flood and pest control).
• Cultural (e.g., spiritual, recreational).
• Support (e.g., water cycle).

Although this notion has made visible the importance of ecosystems for human life, it has also reinforced an instrumental view of nature, presenting it as a set of goods and services useful to people, leaving aside its intrinsic value.

In response to these criticisms, the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) proposed the term Nature’s Contributions to People. This approach recognizes the centrality of culture in the relationship with nature and gives relevance to local and indigenous knowledge, as well as incorporating relational and spiritual dimensions, not just economic ones.

The objects of conservation are ecological systems, communities, rivers, species of flora and fauna, among others, representative of the biodiversity of the territory that serve as a criterion for making decisions about the conservation, management and protection of natural resources.

In the case of the Meullín-Puye Nature Sanctuary, the Conservation Objectives are the following:

• Landforms.
• Temperate rainforest.
• Wetlands and water network.
• Native amphibian community.
• Big puye (Galaxias platei) and other native fish.
• Community’s connection to natural heritage.

Because it represents great value as a reserve of endemic biodiversity in the Aysén Region, encompassing a wide variety of native flora, fauna, and fungi. It is one of the most pristine areas of Chilean Patagonia, comprised of diverse ecosystems spread across more than 24,000 hectares rich in biodiversity.

The Meullín-Puye Nature Sanctuary has been recognized as a territory of great value for biodiversity conservation, with no history of significant human intervention. With the management plan already in place, alternatives are currently being evaluated to establish observation points around the conservation area. These spaces will aim to facilitate the contemplation of the area’s scenic beauty and the respectful enjoyment of nature, always in accordance with the sanctuary’s protection and conservation objectives.

The research primarily focuses on the study of biodiversity, landforms, and the physical elements of the landscape. This research is mainly based on conservation targets and their sources of pressure, continental aquatic systems (such as wetlands, rivers, and lakes), and sub-Antarctic (temperate-humid) forests.

In Chile, the protection of a Nature Sanctuary is a shared responsibility:

• The landowner —whether public or private— has a legal obligation to safeguard the area and comply with the approved management plan.
• The National Monuments Council (CMN) is the entity in charge of supervision and oversight, since the sanctuaries are protected by the National Monuments Law.
• For its part, the Ministry of the Environment, through the Biodiversity and Protected Areas Service (SBAP, once operational), will assume a key role in the coordination, technical support and monitoring of conservation measures.

In summary, although the primary responsibility lies with the owner, the protection of the sanctuary is carried out under the supervision of the State (CMN and, soon, SBAP) and also requires community involvement. In this case, the management of the Meullín-Puye Sanctuary will be the responsibility of the Kreen Foundation, in its capacity as a Privately Protected Area (APP).