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PATAGONIA'S NATIVE FORESTS
The subantarctic native forests of Patagonia are on the verge of
extinction due to the lack of awareness of the essential role
they play in this fragile ecosystem
.
These primary forests, which now cover only 2% of Argentina, are
a narrow strip (max. 60 kms. wide), that extends from the
Province of Neuquén to Tierra del Fuego (2.200 Kms.).
Amongst the many varied trees which make up these temperate
forests, only 4 species range from north to south: Ñire
(Nothofagus antarctica), Lenga (Nothofagus pumilio) and to a
lesser degree, Notro (Embothrium coccineum) and Canelo (Drymis
winteri).
Therefore, the areas occupied by other species can be very small;
the Cipres de las Guaytecas (Pilogerodendron uviferum) for
example, survives on only a few acres.
The conservation of these forests is constantly threatened by
increasing intentional forest fires (96%), illegal or
"unchecked" timber and wood extraction, domestic animal
overgrazing, human encroaching activities, and the replacement of
native trees by fast-growing exotic species.
WHAT IS "PROYECTO LEMU"?
"Proyecto Lemu²(Lemu means forest in the aboriginal Mapuche
language) is a bioregional grassroot organization working in the
valley of Epuyen, Chubut, since 1990, and our goal is to protect
the fragile biological diversity which inhabits these ecosystems.
Our lectures, workshops, editions, TV spots and documentaries, as
well as our efforts to convince the provincial government to
create new protected areas, and to interconnect the existing
ones, stem from the belief that the protection of this
"communal wealth" is an urgent issue for the Earth.
The knowledge acquired through years of experience in ecological
forestry, and the information we receive as part of the
international organization "Native Forest Network,".
shows an increase in global deforestation that has no precedent
in world history, with unpredictable consequences for the future
of the Planet. And yet the deforestation goes on at a suicidal
rate, the island of Tasmania, southern Chile, eastern Europe and
northern Russia, are examples of the future which threatens our
forests. Are we aware of the ecological and genetic treasures
harbored in the unexplored biodiversity of our forests? Do
we really understand the direct relationship between healthy
forests and the welfare of the people who inhabit these
valleys? Can anyone doubt that a living native tree has a
much greater value standing in a forest that laying in a sawmill
?
"PROYECTO LEMU"S MAIN GOALS ARE:
1) Raise awareness on the importance of native
forests whithin the biodiversity of this region, calling
attention to the danger of extinction to which many species are
exposed. Publications on this issue are extensive and varied:
"Manuales Lemu", a bulletin on general ecology and
specific forest issues published quarterly (since 1993).
"Hoja por Hoja", a trimonthly magazine on specific
native forest issues (since 1999). "Agendas Lemu", an
annual Diary with lots of information on native forests around
the Earth (since 1995). "Informes Lemu", newsletters on
specific subjects: Biological Corridors, Forest Fires, Clean
water, Gondwana's International Forest Sanctuary etc.. School
texts for teachers: "A Child and a Tree", "Lemu
Guide for Art Teachers", "Learning within the
Forest", "Issues and Problems of the Patagonian Native
Forests". Stories for Children: "Adventures in the
Maiten", "Something more than a game". Music:
"The call of the Forest". "Vivereando" (two
cassettes by a local group of actors called "El
Chiflete"). Leaflets, posters, stickers, post-cards,
t-shirts etc. All this material is accompained by 17 different TV
spots, a 30 min. Documentary: "The Dream of the
Forest", a new Web Site, two Photo books: "Imagenes de
un Sueño", and "Alma de Bosque", as well as
dozens of articles and interviews regularly published in local
and national magazines and newspapers.
2) Education.
As well as the educational texts published during the last 10
years, many annual workshops for children and teachers have taken
place since the beginning of this program, in many different
local schools around El Bolson and Epuyen (trekking and camping
in the forests help kids and teachers to recognize different
species, collect seeds, and start small tree nurseries).
We are also involved in a joint experience of "outdoor
education" with our Chilean colleagues from "Ceal"
in both countries. The support given to our work by the National
Ministry of Culture and Education gave us the opportunity to
spread our educational work to small towns and rural areas all
along the Patagonian Andes.
3) Promote and set the base for the
Interconnection of all the Parks and Protected Areas from Neuquen
to Chubut. This region has at the moment 4 National Parks and 3
Provincial Parks and the "interconnection" by
means of ³biological corridors² will be the "embryo"
of an International Sanctuary for sub-Antarctic Forests below
Parallel 40º South: "Gondwana², which includes the native
forests of Argentina, Chile, New Zealand and Australia,.
PROYECTO LEMU'S INTERNATIONAL AWARDS
The "Lemu Project" is a small scale, environmentally
sound organization, with different groups of active members
working on specific issues and coordinated by the photographer
and eco-activist Lucas Chiappe (President of Asociación
Lihuen-Antu).
Our programs have received national and international awards for
their work on native forest issues :
"1993 International Rolex Award for Enterprise",
Switzerland.
"1994 Faro del Fin del Mundo", from the Government of
Tierra del Fuego.
"1996/'99 Ashoka grant : "Environmental Social
Entrepreneur"
"1996 Mención de Plata Fund TV" (Awards for Science
and Education Documentaries")
"1997 Premios ATVC" (National TV Awards): "Best
Documentary of the year":"El Sueño de los
Bosques" Best Environmental TV Spot : "Aves de la
Patagonia"
"1998 Honorable Mention" from the Buenos Aires
Government.
Our headquarters, financed by Saild, Italy (1990), in the small
rural valley of Epuyen, is a communal center for all activities
related with ecology, culture and other social needs. The project
has received support since 1993 from national and international
foundations, besides organizations such as: Deep Ecology
Foundation, Ashoka, Unicef Argentina, Patagonia, The Island
Foundation, WWF, Foundation for Ecology and Development, Land
Ethic Action Foundation, Human-i-Tees, Ancient Forest
International, The Turner Foundation, Global Greengrants, The
Tides Foundation, Rainforest Information Center, Eco-Conciencia,
Ministerio de Cultura y Educacion de La Nacion Argentina.
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT OUR WEB SITE:
http://www.geocities.com/proyectolemu/
or contact us at: "Proyecto Lemu" Epuyen 9211. Chubut
Argentina.
Fax: 54-2945 499050. E-mail: [email protected]
The profile of an Asoka Fellow: Lucas
Chiappe (Patagonia-Argentina)
In the Patagonian forests of southern Argentina, Lucas Chiappe, a
photographer, farmer and environmentalist, has developed an
innovative program to protect and link the sub-Antarctic ancient
forests of Chile, Argentina, New Zealand, and Australia. In
Patagonia during the initial stage of that effort, he has
established independent and self-sustaining local groups
throughout the region working to educate citizens, publicize the
problem of environmental degradation, form relationships with
appropriate government institutions and apply constant pressure
on the government to establish a chain of protected natural areas
in the region.
The New Idea
Through Project Lemu, a nongovernmental initiative that he has
long headed, Lucas Chiappe has launched a successful grassroots
campaign in the southern cone of Latin America to protect and
restore ancient forests, watersheds and such life support systems
as clean air, water and soil. Lucas innovative idea (shared now
with many Ngo¹s world wide) is to create an International
Sanctuary for Sub-Antarctic forests, south of Parallel 40,
starting in the Patagonian region of Argentina. The proposed
sanctuary will eventually encompass the relevant areas of
Argentina, Chile, New Zealand, and Australia the four countries
with sub-Antarctic temperate forests.
The initial aim of Project Lemu is to link native Patagonian
forests, from the northern border of Lanin National Park in the
province of Neuquen to the southern border of Los Alerces
National Park in the province of Chubut. This corridor will
create a protected area spanning four national parks (Lanin,
Nahuel Huapi, Lago Puelo and Los Alerces), two provincial parks
(Cerro Pirque and Rio Turbio), and a recently declared protected
area (Rio Azul).
Despite the complex mechanisms that must be activated locally and
internationally in order to realize his long-term dream, Lucas
work in Patagonia provides clear and concrete evidence of his
determination and ability to achieve ambitious goals. After years
of pressuring the various local governments, Project Lemu
succeeded in creating the two provincial parks and protected area
mentioned above. To do so, Lucas and his team employed a number
of innovative strategies, including media campaigns (TV spots,
radio programs, newspaper articles, publications, etc.),
environmental education and teacher training programs, political
lobbying, the creation of native tree nurseries and reforestation
projects in every municipality and citizens petition campaigns. A
key factor in the success of that undertaking was the creation of
independent, self-sustaining local groups who work to spread the
ideas at the grassroots level. And the overall result was broad
support for his initiative from a wide array of government
agencies and nongovernmental organizations.
The Problem
The Argentine forests, on the slopes of the southern Andes, are
endangered by forest fires, indiscriminate tree felling,
overgrazing, constant human encroachment, and the replacement of
native trees with inappropriate species from the northern
hemisphere. Those factors impede natural forest regeneration, and
large areas are now suffering from erosion and urgently need
reforestation.
Statistics from the Department of Forests and Parks record a
reduction in native forests from 5,500 hectares to 260 hectares
between 1947 and 1987. Only four of the native Patagonian tree
varieties still grow along the forest strip from north to south,
while others are restricted to areas of a few hectares. To
exacerbate matters, the Provincial Forest Department, under
unrelenting pressure from the timber industry, has issued
regulations specifying that felled native species be replaced
with foreign species. Recent research has shown that many of
these exotic, ìfast-growingî species are, in fact, inferior to
other native fast-growers, such as the native Radal or the
Maiten. Unfortunately, however, most native species are
endangered and risk extinction unless the current trend is
reversed.
While local populations are increasingly aware of the
environmental, public health and safety dangers involved, that
awareness is far from sufficient to assure the forests
protection, and huge multi-national forest extraction interests
constitute a continuing, major threat. Accordingly, vigorous and
sustained action is required to make sure that relevant parties
understand the full dimensions of the problem; to combat the
temptation of ìeasy profits,î and to arm local businesspeople,
private property owners downstream from the devastated areas, and
government officials with information about alternative,
profitable and sustainable ways to manage Patagonian forests.
The Strategy
Lucas seeks to create an increasingly powerful network of
independent, grassroots environmental leaders and to build direct
links, through letters, faxes and telephone calls, between these
leaders and public functionaries, collaborating organizations and
the population in general. With that aim in view, Project Lemu
staff visit various localities in the region and present talks,
videos, slide shows, and workshops. During such visits, Lucas and
his associates facilitate the creation of small groups of
enthusiastic individuals who are committed to the cause of
environmental protection and who then expand into larger groups
in the style of Project Lemu. At a certain stage in their
development, these new groups continue to receive advice and
assistance from Project Lemu, but are no longer dependent on it.
In this way, the groups are able to retain their local character
and appeal more effectively for support from their local
communities.
Project Lemu and its affiliates strive to educate the public as
rapidly and fully as possible about the importance and benefits
of native forests and the dangers associated with the extinction
of certain native species. They pursue that task through
bulletins, calendars, newsletters, teachersí guides, childrenís
stories, music cassettes for children, posters, postcards, tee
shirts, stickers and didactic games. Their messages are also
spread through intensive media campaigns, including television
spots, documentaries and interviews and articles in local
newspapers and national magazines. In addition, Project Lemu
presents workshops, conferences and audiovisual shows on a
year-round basis in the nationís schools, and organizes popular
festivals and eco-celebrations. Letter-writing and petition
campaigns sponsored by Project Lemu serve to inform and unite the
community. They have also achieved encouraging political results,
including a public declaration, by the elected representatives of
Tierra del Fuego, against the clear-cut forest harvest practices
of a North American forest extraction company (which, Lucas
notes, could not, by dint of popular pressure and regulation,
behave similarly in North America).
Working in collaboration with a national information network that
involves some 1,400 schools nationwide, Lucas and Project Lemu
are also engaged in an educational campaign in the area¹s rural
schools. With the aid of the National Education Ministry, they
have reached most of the elementary schools from RÌo Negro
Province to Chubut Province. As part of that endeavor, Project
Lemu organizes workshops for elementary school teachers and has
developed a manual on the native forests of Patagonia and
teaching materials on local ecosystems.
Native tree nurseries and training centers have been established
in several communities throughout the region, and at least one
municipality (Trevelin) has formally committed itself to reliance
on native species in its cultivation and reforestation programs.
In addition, several native plant nurseries and reforestation
programs have been established in two provincial universities.
A key component of Lucas strategy is the nurturing of a congenial
working relationship, characterized by an open dialogue that
doesn¹t exclude public confrontation whenever is required, with
relevant government agencies. When important ³victories² (e.g.,
the creation of new parks or reserve areas) are won, Project Lemu
staff maintain a low profile that allows local communities and
government officials to take credit for those achievements.
In 1993, as a direct consequence of intensive education and
lobbying efforts by Project Lemu, the Chubut Forest Department
created the region¹s first provincial park (in Epuyen-Mount
Pirque). A second park (surrounding Lake Puelo) was recently
established, and a third is planned.
The four national parks and three provincial parks connected by
wildlife corridors will provide the launching platform for the
creation of an International Sanctuary for Sub-Antarctic Forests
that will include the relevant areas of Argentina, Chile, New
Zealand and Australia. Project Lemu has joined forces with its
Chilean counterpart, Los Defensores del Bosque Chileno, the
native Forest Network and many other Ngo¹s working world wide,
in an international effort to launch the Sanctuary of
Sub-Antarctic Forests, South of Parallel 40.
The Person
Lucas is an individual of tremendous drive, humility and talent,
and his current work reflects a broad array of interests and
achievements.
During one of Argentina's unsavory military regimes, Lucas and
his wife left the country and lived in Europe, India and various
Latin American nations. They supported themselves through odd
jobs until Lucas began working as a journalist and photographer.
In 1976, they returned to Argentina and settled in Epuyen Valley,
where Lucas joined others in the area in a lengthy, but
ultimately successful, campaign to prevent the construction of a
large dam that would have flooded most of the valley (and their
own home) under 35 meters of water. In 1990, building on that
accomplishment, Lucas and a handful of fellow inhabitants of the
southern valleys in Patagonia formed Project Lemu, and he has
served as that venture's full-time director since its inception.
In a country in which party membership is a requirement for
political office, Lucas became one of the founders of a local
political party that won the municipal elections in Epuyen in
1987. During the four years that that party held office, Epuyen
became a vigorous opponent of waste disposal sites in its
province and the second Argentine municipality to declare itself
a
nuclear free zone. During that period, the municipal government
also prohibited the use of a number of dangerous pesticides,
designed a long-term urban and rural development plan and created
the first laws protecting the shores of local rivers, lakes, and
creeks.
In May 1993, Lucas received honorable mention in the area of
environmental protection in the Rolex Awards for Enterprise
(thereby becoming the first South American environmentalist to be
honored by that program since its inception in 1976). The
publicity surrounding the Rolex Award gave Lucas and Project Lemu
new visibility and helped disseminate their ideas. In October of
1994, Lucas was awarded one of Argentina's foremost ecological
honors, the Faro del Fin de Mundo, for his work in the protection
of native forests.
Lucas efforts have continued to attract substantial national and
international attention, and he recently obtained funding from,
Foundation for Deep Ecology, Global Green Grants, The Tides
Foundation, WWF International, UNICEF etc. for Project Lemu's
various programs.
As a journalist, Lucas has published numerous articles, and two
photographic books: "Imágenes de un Sueño" and "Alma
de Bosque". He is a member of the local Council for
Environmental Protection and Tourism, and he works full-time as
the Coordinator of Proyecto Lemu. For the last few years, he has
also been gathering oral history of the Epuyen Valley, and plans
in a short time to publish his third book of photos. He is the
father of three children: Surya, Nahuel and Rocío, and
grandfather of two boys: Dylan and Gabriel.
Ashoka: Innovators for the Public
1700 North Moore Street Arlington, Virginia 22209 USA
e-mail:
[email protected]
