About the Valdivian Ecoregion, Chile

The Temperate Rainforest Ecoregion of Chile and Argentina, also known as the Valdivian Ecoregion, is one of 238 globally important ecoregions identified by WWF. In adition most of the ecoregion has been identified by Conservation International (CI) as part one of the world's 25 "hotspots" for biodiversity conservation. BirdLife International has classified the ecoregion as a key "Endemic Bird Area". And the World Resources Institute (WRI) considers it a globally important "forest frontier".

The Valdivian Ecoregion stretches south from the Maule (7th) Region of Chile (35º south) to the Aysén (11th) Region (48º south), and east from the coast of the Pacific Ocean to the eastern slopes of the Andes range in Argentina.

A study carried out with the involvement of almost 100 experts and over 18 institutions, supported by WWF specialists, described the biological and ecological diversity of the Valdivian Ecoregion with the aim of mitigating the loss of these forests and promoting their conservation.

The study identified 69 priority zones linked by biological corridors, and analyzed both the threats to and the opportunities for conservation in the region.

Subregions

The Valdivian Ecoregion is compressed into a narrow north-south strip, but extends over a wide range of both latitude and altitude. The resulting variation in climatic, hydrological and soil conditions, together with the range of flora and fauna, gives rise to an intimately connected mosaic of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems in the region.

The ecoregion is divided into 11 biogeographical subregions in order to represent the distinct areas that make up this mosaic. (more history)

Of the only seven Temperate Rainforests that remain in the planet, one is located in the Valdivian Ecoregion. As a result of having developed in isolation from other forest ecosystems, this strange area is a bio-geographical island that has endured for 20 million years. Glaciation, for instance, reduced the diversity of species in most of the Ecoregion (refer to the Map). Many of the areas involved were covered by ice. Those unaffected however, served as a source of biodiversity for the re-scattering of the temperate rainforests’ species.

Nature’s Heritage

As shown in the map, large extensions of the Valdivian Ecoregion were covered by ice. According to the experts, the sub-ecoregion of the Coastal Range was a refuge for plants and animals during the glaciation. Until today, these forests keep an important number of endemic and relict species, as well as high taxa (gender and families) This area is considered a major divergence zone for water wildlife, including great polymorphism among fish.