Las Vertientes Private Nature Reserve (Reserva Natural Privada) is a National Reserve of Chile located in the Los Lagos Region, of Patagonia

Patagonia

Patagonia is a region located in Argentina and Chile, integrating the southernmost section of the Andes mountains to the southwest towards the Pacific ocean and from the east of the cordillera to the valleys it follows south through Colorado River towards Carmen de Patagones in the Atlantic Ocean...

 in southern Chile

Chile

Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...

. A private nature reserve

Nature reserve

A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...

 operated by the Corporación Nacional Forestal

Corporación Nacional Forestal

Corporación Nacional Forestal , Chile's National Forest Corporation, is a Chilean government agency that is part of Agriculture Ministry. It administrates the forestal policies of Chile and promotes the development of the sector with sustainable forest management. Conaf was created on May 13, 1970...

, it protects the plants and animals of the Valdivian temperate rainforest located here. The 100 square kilometre reserve's emphasis is on restoration of the temperate rainforest ecosystem

Ecosystem

An ecosystem is a biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving , physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight....

, rather than providing a public amenity.

Introduction

Las Vertientes Private Nature Reserve was formed by renowned artist and architect with the help of his family in 2009 with the aim of promoting habitat

Habitat

* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...

 and wildlife conservation

Wildlife conservation

Wildlife conservation is the preservation, protection, or restoration of wildlife and their environment, especially in relation to endangered and vulnerable species. All living non-domesticated animals, even if bred, hatched or born in captivity, are considered wild animals. Wildlife represents all...

, and environmental education for the children of the Northern Patagonia region . Protected indigenous

Indigenous (ecology)

In biogeography, a species is defined as native to a given region or ecosystem if its presence in that region is the result of only natural processes, with no human intervention. Every natural organism has its own natural range of distribution in which it is regarded as native...

 species include animals, such as birds and mammals, and a variety of plants. The philosophy behind Las Vertientes Nature Reserve of creating a place where endangered species

Endangered species

An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...

 can again thrive also creates a rare experience for the small number of people permitted to visit.

History

Las Vertientes - Private Nature Reserve was formed by renowned artist and architect with the help of his family in 2009 with the aim of promoting wildlife conservation and environmental education for the children of the Northern Patagonia. In addition to naturally-occurring animal species such as birds and a variety of wildlife, flora, fauna. The philosophy behind Las Vertientes Nature Reserve is creating a place where endangered species can once again thrive, it has also created a rare experience for the small number of people who are allowed to visit.

The Las Vertientes - Private Nature Reserve's nursery roots go back to the 2008 when the owners began growing native plants in response to local environmental issues. Native ecosystems were being destroyed through forest clearance and development of subdivisions. The Family saw the need to reverse the destructive trend and started propagating natives as a hobby.

Biota

Fauna
Some of the endangered fauna

Fauna

Fauna or faunæ is all of the animal life of any particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is flora.Zoologists and paleontologists use fauna to refer to a typical collection of animals found in a specific time or place, e.g. the "Sonoran Desert fauna" or the "Burgess shale fauna"...

 that can be seen in the Las Vertientes nature reserve includes: Monito del monte (Dromiciops gliroides), Southern pudú, Puma (Puma concolor), Kodkod (Leopardus guigna), and the Magellanic Woodpecker.

Flora
Some of the endangered flora

Flora

Flora is the plant life occurring in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring or indigenous—native plant life. The corresponding term for animals is fauna.-Etymology:...

 that can be seen in the Valdivian temperate rainforest of the Las Vertientes nature reserve includes: Copihue trees (Lapageria rosea), Murta

Ugni molinae

Ugni molinae, commonly known as Chilean guava, or strawberry myrtle, is a shrub native to Chile and adjacent regions of southern Argentina. The Mapuche Native American name is "Uñi"...

 shrub (Ugni Molinae), Olivillo

Aextoxicon punctatum

Aextoxicon punctatum, the sole species of genus Aextoxicon and family Aextoxicaceae, is a tree native to southern Chile and Argentina....

 trees (Aextoxicon punctatum), and the Alerce trees (Fitzroya cupressoides).