- A dos meses de que cinco organizaciones de conservación lanzaran Conserva Puchegüín, la iniciativa nacional e internacional que busca proteger la cultura y naturaleza de 133 mil hectáreas de Cochamó, ya han logrado recaudar US$21,2 millones.
- Durante los próximos meses, la campaña buscará principalmente la donación amplia de personas, con especial atención en aportantes nacionales, para incentivar el financiamiento colectivo del proyecto.
A total of US $78 million is the fundraising goal set by conservation organizations—led by Puelo Patagonia and supported by The Nature Conservancy, Freyja Foundation, Patagonia Inc., and Wyss Foundation—to acquire and protect the 133,000 hectares of Hacienda Puchegüín in Cochamó. The campaign announced today that, just two months after launching and with a two-year fundraising timeline, it has already raised US $21.2 million, reaching 27% of the goal.
To date, 94% of the funds raised have come primarily from organizations dedicated to environmental conservation, while 6% has been contributed by hundreds of individuals from around the world, donating various amounts directly through the campaign’s website www.conservapucheguin.org: "We are promoting collaborative funding for conservation, where everyone can participate in environmental philanthropy." para que el alto valor ambiental de Cochamó sea protegido y motive mejores oportunidades de desarrollo para sus habitantes”, dice José Claro, director de Puelo Patagonia y quien está liderando la campaña de recolección de fondos en Chile de Conserva Puchegüín.
The target amount will be allocated to purchasing the land and developing and implementing a conservation and development plan that actively involves the local communities. "Conserving nature does not mean prohibiting its use, but rather creating governance models that foster responsible development, generating better income opportunities for residents, supporting access to basic services, and promoting new opportunities for all who live in or near these environmentally valuable areas," says Claro.
Créditos: Benjamín Valenzuela
Along those lines, he emphasizes that this campaign is not just about raising funds for the project: "In Chile, there is still work to be done to build trust in environmental philanthropy. We aim for this project to demonstrate and spire donors in Chile to believe in conservation as a long-term development model." and that this example helps inspire and fund conservation and protection initiatives in other areas of Chile and around the world," says Claro.
In addition to monetary contributions, the director of Puelo Patagonia shared that they have received messages from people around the world offering other ways to support the cause—such as volunteering on-site, donating images, and promoting the campaign in their workplaces, among others. "This shows us that people are eager to contribute to the conservation of Puchegüín and the well-being of its inhabitants," says Claro.
Minister of the Environment, Maisa RojasDuring her recent visit to the Los Lagos Region, Minister of the Environment, Maisa Rojas, stated in an interview with Radio Bío Bío that if the purchase of Puchegüín is successful, "it could become part of the National System of Protected Areas. This could be a viable option since the Biodiversity and Protected Areas Service (...) includes a new conservation category, which is private."
Donations and Philanthropy in Chile
Philanthropy in Chile still has a long way to go. According to a study by the Center for Philanthropy and Social Investments (Cefis) at Adolfo Ibáñez University (UAI), the scope of donations in Chile represents 0.12% of the GDP, approximately US $250 million per year, based on data from the Internal Revenue Service (SII) regarding registered donations that qualify under major tax incentive laws. This figure is significantly lower compared to other countries, such as the United States, where donations account for 2% of the GDP.
"The progress of the campaign so far has shown us that many people want to drive change. We are facing a unique opportunity for Chileans to actively engage in the conservation of Chile's pristine nature, making a real contribution to this place."says Claro.
Créditos: Daniel Pastene
The current global trend in philanthropy focuses on empowering and strengthening communities, making them active partners to ensure the long-term sustainability of initiatives. Within this framework, Conserva Pucheguín emphasizes the importance of involving the Cochamó community at every stage. "We have a field team that has been meeting with the local community for months—not to present a rigid, pre-defined project, but to build it together, understand their perspectives and aspirations for the land, and develop a long-term collaborative action plan. While there is still much to do, this work remains our top priority throughout the entire process," says Claro.
Según una publicación científica de Conservation International (2019), se ha evidenciado que invertir en el desarrollo de capacidades dentro de las comunidades locales ha llevado a un aumento del 35% en la eficiencia de la gestión de los recursos naturales.
En ese sentido Alex Perry, gerente para Latinoamérica de la marca outdoor Patagonia, asegura que este modelo puede ser replicado también por las grandes empresas del país que están interesadas en hacer filantropía ambiental: “Hace un par de años anunciamos que los réditos económicos que logrará la empresa serían reinvertidos en Salvar el Planeta Tierra, y es justamente parte de nuestras acciones lograr este tipo de alianzas donde la propuesta, más allá de la conservación, sea también la mantención, el rescate y el trabajo con las comunidades involucradas”.
Prioridad en donación chilena
Si bien la campaña lleva más de un cuarto de la meta -aún quedan US $57 millones por recaudar- para sus organizadores el siguiente paso es masificar en los próximos meses la donación de personas naturales (no institucionales), con un énfasis en la donación en Chile.
“Chile tiene importantes desafíos para avanzar en la conservación de la naturaleza, fuente de bienestar para las comunidades y un elemento fundante del desarrollo sostenible del país. Estamos en un excelente momento para profundizar el compromiso del país por la conservación efectiva del 30% de los ecosistemas al año 2030, donde contamos con un Servicio de Biodiversidad que integra la conservación privada, y Conserva Puchegüín puede jugar un rol clave para escalar un modelo innovador de conservación, donde el apoyo de la sociedad y el aporte filantrópico de cada persona y organización sean claves para su éxito”, comenta el Director Ejecutivo de The Nature Conservancy Chile, Juan José Donoso.
Por ello, desde Conserva Puchegüín hacen un llamado a todos los chilenos a ser parte de esta campaña: “El llamado es a poder sumarse y hacer un aporte concreto a la protección del medio ambiente y el desarrollo de comunidades locales como la de Cochamó”, dice Claro.
Para donar ingresa a la plataforma segura de donación habilitada en www.conservapucheguin.org/dona o escríbenos a nuestro correo electrónico dona@conservapucheguin.org si estás interesado en hacer una donación superior a 20.000 dólares.
Conserva Puchegüín no utiliza otros medios o canales de recolección de fondos a través de medios o plataformas que no sean los oficiales de campaña.
