The Patagonian Foundation

The Patagonian Foundation PO Box 29113 San Francisco, CA 94129 USA 1-888-570-1122 info@thepatagonianfoundation.org July 6, 2008


Foundation History Board of Directors About Patagonia Current Challenges Projects How to Help News and Updates FAQs English / Español Home		Projects Volunteer Vacation Opportunities ESTANCIA VALLE CHACABUCO FENCE REMOVAL PROJECT As highlighted in the Patagonia company's recent clothing catalog, TPF strongly supports the efforts of Conservación Patagónica to create a new national park in Chile's Valle Chacabuco. To help Conservación Patagónica achieve their goal, TPF has partnered with travel provider Conservation VIP, who is offering a two-week volunteer trip to Valle Chacabuco in April 2008. During the trip, volunteers will help to remove over 450 miles of fence to transition 173,000 acres from a working ranch to a new national park. By removing the existing fences and various invasive species, the land will be returned to its natural state and wildlife will regain full access to the land. The project also aims to expand the habitat and population of the endangered huemul deer. For more detailed information on the trip and Valle Chacabuco, please visit the links below. Conservation VIP's website Conservación Patagónica's website Information and Video on Valle Chacabuco VOLUNTEER WITH THE AMERICAN HIKING SOCIETY To help build and repair trails in North America, try an American Hiking Society Volunteer Vacation. On an American Hiking Society Volunteer Vacation, you visit stunning backcountry locations to construct or rebuild footpaths, cabins and shelters. In the process, you meet new people, explore canyons, peaks and valleys, enjoy quiet evenings around a fire and come home refreshed and rejuvenated. Volunteer Vacations are more fun than work! And best of all, the trips are only $130 ($100 for American Hiking Members)! Click here for more information. Other Projects PET POPULATION CONTROL PROGRAM TPF and REYPA Coyhaique are thrilled to announce that in August 2007 they completed their third round of animal sterilizations. Continuing a project launched in December 2006, this August TPF, the Coyhaique Health Department, REYPA Coyhaique and RIMA joined forces to successully sterilize 307 dogs and cats in Coyhaique. This is the third round of sterilizations, which have been completed as follows: December 2006--280 dogs and cats sterilized April 2007--300 dogs and cats sterilized August 2007--307 dogs and cats sterilized These surgeries occur in community centers located in some of Coyhaique's poorest neighborhoods. The sterilizations, which are in high demand, are awarded by the Health Department to individuals based on financial need. In addition to surgeries, the project also provides a wealth of information to the community regarding pet care, the importance of sterilizations, and the responsibility of pet ownership. We are very thankful to the Health Department, which contributed critical financial support, volunteers, and guidance, and the volunteers and surgeons from REYPA and RIMA who make this project possible. The fourth round of sterilizations (which we are attempting to have every 90 days in order to adequately conquer the overpopulation problem) will occur in December 2007. For more information click on the links below. Brochure Press Advertisements Photo Gallery December 2006 PREVENTION OF BAKER RIVER DAMS TPF is working with local environmental groups to fight the dams that ENDESA has proposed building on the Baker River, Chile's most powerful river and one of its most beautiful. More details will be posted as they become available. Click here for further information. Past Accomplishments THE PATAGONIA PROJECT: VOLUNTEER TRAIL MAINTENANCE In March 2005 we launched our pilot volunteer project in Chile's Torres del Paine National Park in cooperation with The U.S. Forest Service, the Chilean National Park Service (CONAF) and Fundación Patagonia (an organization based in Chile). TPF sponsored this project in 2005 and 2006. For more information click on the links below. Trip Brochure (197 kb pdf) Photo Gallery March 2006 Final Trip Report March 2006 U.S. Embassy Report 2006 Photo Gallery March 2005 Final Trip Report March 2005 U.S. Embassy Report 2005 CONAF report March 2005 (115 kb pdf) EXPLORANDO LA ESPERANZA--AISEN ENVIRONMENTAL RADIO PROGRAM In 2005, TPF joined with CODEFF to produce a radio show entitled “Explorando la Esperanza,” or Exploring Hope. During one-hour segments, Journalist Claudia Molina and Peter Hartmann, the Director of CODEFF, discussed a variety of environmental topics that are currently affecting the Aisén region. Specifically, the topics included: • History of “Explorando la Esperanza” • Aisén, Reserva de Vida (Reserve of Life) • Water, with Dr. Hugo Campos, from Universidad Austral de Chile • Water Rights, with Francisco Riestra, the Director of Regional Water • Hydroelectric Plants, with Jose Viviani, Electrical Engineer • Energy Use in Chile, with Jose Viviani, Electrical Engineer • Wood as an Energy Source in Aisén, with Forestry Engineer Aliro Gascon • Communities in Defense of Water, with Costa Rican sociologist Osvaldo Durán • “An Absent World,” with the director Ronnie Ramírez • Seminar on Sustainable Tourism in Aisén, with Claudia Torres • Patagonia Guide School, with Director Fransisco Vio • Tourism in Aisén, with Partricia Chible, Director of Tourism Bureau • Report on the Latin American Network Against Dams in Guatemala • Alumysa • Waste Management in Aisén • Summary and Overview of “Explorando la Esperanza” Scheduled during the winter months to increase the number of listeners, Explorando la Esperanza was successful in alerting the general population to environmental problems affecting their every day lives. TPF is thrilled to announce that the U.S. Embassy in Santiago has agreed to bundle these programs on two Embassy-produced radio programs that are run on 106 radio stations throughout Chile. One, Panorama, is a news wrap-up relying heavily on Voice of America materials. The other, Dimensión Internacional, is a 30-minute chat program that addresses a variety of themes. The opportunity to expand the audience for these programs is extremely important to increasing the awareness throughout Chile of many environmental issues currently arising in Patagonia. How to work with TPF If you are interested in working with TPF on a project, please contact us at the following address to discuss your ideas. The Patagonian Foundation P.O. Box 29113 San Francisco, CA 94129 1-888-570-1122 info@thepatagonianfoundation.org Also, please complete our application. Click here to download the application (pdf format, 149 kb, 16 pages).