We are restoring three hectares of the Maipo River Wetland

The Cosmos Foundation was awarded funding from the Valparaíso Regional Government to implement the Comprehensive Socioecological Restoration Program for the Maipo River Wetland Nature Sanctuary (SNHRM). This two-year project aims to address the environmental issues and biodiversity loss affecting the wetland by promoting the restoration of three degraded hectares and the recovery of its ecosystem services.

The Maipo River Wetland Nature Sanctuary has experienced significant environmental deterioration due to historically inappropriate uses. To reverse this situation, the program seeks to reconnect the community with this territory, train them in the protection of this ecosystem, and, based on scientific and ecologically responsible work, jointly restore 3 hectares of degraded land within the Sanctuary.

The program consists of three main components:

Socioecological Remediation: The wetland will be remediated by removing mounds of branches and debris and the Municipal Chip Plant, which are sources of ecosystem degradation. These actions will initiate a socioecological restoration process, reducing environmental degradation and enhancing the delivery of ecosystem services.

Socioecological Rehabilitation: Rehabilitation actions will be carried out in the highly modified areas of the wetland, currently used as dumps for branches and debris. This will include planting and community maintenance in the new SNHRM restoration area, improving its composition and structure. In addition, certified environmental education training will be provided to 80 people from the communities of San Antonio and Santo Domingo, thus strengthening awareness about the importance of the wetland and its conservation.

Socioecological Education: This program will seek to reduce the inequitable gaps in access to environmental education and promote the appreciation of the SNHRM in the community. In addition, a documentary video will be produced to record and disseminate the program’s progress, fostering appreciation for the wetland and promoting the regeneration of other ecosystems.

This ambitious program begins a process of socio-ecological regeneration in one of the country’s most populated socio-ecosystems. Community participation is essential to achieving successful restoration and protecting this valuable wetland for future generations.