On June 26 and 27, the traditional Pala en Mano Festival, promoted by UÑU Lab, will move from Chiloé to Puerto Varas, Chile.
The proposal seeks to restore degraded ecosystems in urban spaces such as Cerro Philippi, the Puerto Varas Viewpoint, and the Quebrada Honda, through environmental education activities and reforestation volunteering.
The festival is supported by the Municipality of Puerto Varas, the Environmental Directorate (DIMAO), territorial organizations, and local companies, consolidating a collaborative network that unites the public sector, private sector, and the community.
Urban Restoration and Environmental Resilience
According to Javier García, founder of the festival, urban reforestation requires intervening in fragmented and highly intervened ecosystems to recover biodiversity, increase ecosystem services, and improve the city’s environmental resilience.
The degradation of native forests directly affects services such as:
- Carbon capture.
- Water regulation.
- Soil and biodiversity protection.
- Community well-being and quality of life.
Mayor Tomás Gárate highlighted that the initiative will bring together neighbors, organizations, and companies around a common goal: to restore ecosystems and generate concrete actions against climate change.
Two Days of Action
- First day (June 26): talks, documentary screenings, and educational activities at the Molino Machmar Art Center (CAMM). Admission is free with prior registration at festivalpalaenmano.cl.
- Second day (June 27): reforestation volunteering with the planting of 2,500 native trees in Cerro Philippi Park, alongside neighbors, students, and families.
In the days leading up (June 17 to 25), volunteers will be received to prepare the planting work.
Among the species to be planted are: Coigüe, Ulmo, Arrayán, Luma, Tiaca, Canelo, Notro, and Fuinque, native to the temperate rainforest of southern Chile.
Interventions in Urban Parks
- Reserva Bosque Mirador Park: exotic plants will be removed, and native pioneer trees will be incorporated to facilitate the expansion of the existing forest.
- Quebrada Honda Park: an incomplete planting process will be continued, enriching the flora with ornamental and native species.
- Cerro Philippi Park: invasive flora will be removed, and shade-tolerant species will be planted to stop erosion and increase species richness.
Collaborating Companies
The 2026 edition is supported by Lago Sofía Circular Food, Transportes GLA Chile, Changan, Tecnofast Home, Inmobiliaria Terrasur, Mesa Tropera, ISA VIAS, Salfa Rent, and El Desconcierto.
The Pala en Mano Festival 2026 aims to leave a concrete legacy in Puerto Varas: the planting of thousands of native trees, the recovery of degraded spaces, and the building of a more conscious and committed citizenry with environmental care.
To participate in workshops, talks, and plantings, prior registration is required on Instagram @festivalpalaenmano
