High Andean wetlands at the climate crisis crossroads and mining extractivsm: the Parque Andino Juncal case

Abstract

High Andean wetlands play a strategic role in water provision, climate regulationand biodiversity conservation. Located in the Valparaíso Region of the CentralAndes of Chile, Parque Andino Juncal encompasses part of a hydrological networkcomposed of rivers, ravines, glaciers, high Andean peatlands (vegas) and springs.Established in 2004 as a privately led conservation initiative open to the public, thepark was designated a RAMSAR site in 2010. Since 2017, it has gained greater visibilityas a sustainable tourism project, drawing visitors primarily from the ValparaísoRegion, but also from other parts of Chile and abroad. This initiative integratestourism with passive restoration practices. Considering the alarming vulnerability ofthe vegas due to climate change – particularly glacial melt and prolonged droughtperiods – it is essential to consider both the climatic and the anthropogenic factorsthreatening these ecosystems to develop climate adaptation and resilience strategies.Parque Andino Juncal offers one such alternative. However, its developmentmay be hindered by the installation of mining projects in the area. In this context,our objective is to highlight the importance of maintaining private protected areassuch as the one presented here, as they serve as strategic spaces for monitoring andmitigating the effects of climate change on fragile and vital ecosystems.