In Chile, wetlands are found along the entire coast, in the form of **marshes, estuaries, and coastal lagoons**; parallel to the Andes mountain range there are **rivers, streams, meadows, salt flats, brackish lagoons, peat bogs, lakes, and ponds**.
Towards the south of the country are the **peatlands and swamps**. There are also wooded wetlands known as **hualves** or **pitrantos**.
The function of wetlands
All wetlands are large **sinks for greenhouse gases** and **serve as habitats for countless animal and plant species**. In fact, they are home to many endemic flora and fauna, both locally and nationally.
**Miriam Abarca** stands on a wooden platform overlooking **Laguna Cahuil**, a small saline body of water surrounded by pines on the central coast of Chile. In the distance, birds flutter among tall reeds and tourists row in a boat on the calm surface of the lagoon.
“For me, this is a paradise and pure magic,” says Mrs. Abarca, who runs a small tourism company that offers tours of the lagoon. “This is the most valuable thing we have. Without it, I don’t know how we would survive.”
Restoration project of important wetlands in Chile
The picturesque view is the result of an ambitious project supported by the **United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)** to restore the lagoon, which just a few years ago was on the brink of collapse due to climate change and uncontrolled development.
This initiative is part of a broader effort to preserve five wetlands **along the central coast of Chile**, a rugged region battered by the wind that is home to unique plant and animal species in the world.
Here, as in many other parts of the planet, pollution, climate change, invasive species, and unsustainable tourism have pushed wetlands to the brink.
“Wetlands are one of the most important ecosystems on the planet, and yet they are disappearing at an alarming rate,” said **Robert Erath**, UNEP project manager in charge of the initiative. “That has to change if we want to protect not only the species that inhabit wetlands, but also the communities that depend on these landscapes for their livelihood and sustenance.”
Challenges and global efforts for wetlands
Worldwide, there are over 1.2 billion hectares of vegetated wetlands, an area larger than Canada, the second-largest country in the world.
These **aquatic ecosystems** include swamps, peatlands, and marshes, and are a refuge for wildlife that, in addition to filtering pollutants and storing carbon, help mitigate global warming.
However, between 1700 and 2000, the planet lost 85% of its wetlands, many of which were drained to make way for cities and farmland.
The coast of Chile, wedged between the Pacific Ocean and the Atacama Desert, is a clear example of this trend. Around 85% of Chile’s population lives in this narrow strip of land, and as cities grew, wetlands were invaded and fragmented.
Impacts of pollution and Climate Change
Agricultural pollution reached water bodies, causing the **proliferation of toxic algae**. Deforestation removed the vegetation layer, accelerating desertification and sediment runoff into rivers.
Mass tourism also affected local fauna, disrupting the nesting sites of birds and amphibians; according to **conservationists**, eggs were frequently trampled.
But perhaps the greatest threat has been climate change, which according to experts has caused a **decrease in rainfall** and the deterioration of wetlands.
Strategies for wetland recovery in Chile
That was, in part, what was happening with Laguna Cahuil, located on the outskirts of **Pichilemu**, a world-famous surfing village perched on a sandy promontory on the Pacific.
The decrease in rainfall during traditionally wet winter months caused the lagoon’s water level to drop drastically, cutting off its seasonal connection to the ocean.
This prevented the entry of salt that maintains its brackish character. Over time, the lagoon shrank, **species began to disappear**, and algae, favored by pollution, proliferated, releasing a strong odor as they decomposed, explained Robert Erath.
The deterioration of the lagoon jeopardized various economic activities, from fishing and tourism to salt extraction.
Intervention and results
Two years ago, that reality began to change thanks to an effort supported by **UNEP** and funded by the **Government of Chile** and the **Global Environment Facility**. Engineers and local authorities designed a plan to open a channel in the sandbank separating the lagoon from the sea, explained **Luis Araya**, who coordinated the work in Cahuil under the Global Environment Facility framework.
After months of preparation, during a particularly rainy week in June 2023, a section of the sandbank was removed, allowing saltwater to enter the lagoon.
“We helped the lagoon regain its natural dynamics through this intervention, and we did it in a sustainable way,” said Luis Araya. “We hope the wetland can continue to function naturally for many more years.”
The return of saltwater has restored the salinity levels of the lagoon and controlled the proliferation of algae. Residents claim that since then, tourism has rebounded, as has fishing.
Sustainable land management
Part of the project’s goal has been to save wetlands by combining conservation with economic development, a process known as **sustainable land management**. “Conservation cannot exist in isolation,” says Erath from UNEP.
“The reality is that people in developing countries, like Chile, often depend on natural resources for their survival. The key to protecting fragile ecosystems, such as wetlands, is to find a balance between protection and economic development.”
In addition to the work on the sandbank, the teams installed observation posts on the edges of the lagoon for bird watching, fenced nesting areas, and assisted local authorities in developing a conservation protocol.
These measures have made tourism less harmful to wildlife and more sustainable in the long term.
Species recovery
The changes have driven the recovery of several bird species, including the **pilpilén**, an endangered species, notes **Lucía Zapata**, an environmental activist and member of the group **Pichilemu Animal**. “It’s amazing to see how species are thriving,” adds Zapata, sitting on one of the observation platforms overlooking the lagoon. “It’s a model that can be replicated not only in Chile but around the world.”
Meanwhile, experts working on the project have supported the Chilean government in developing the first **law in Latin America to protect wetlands in populated areas**.
Currently, the regulation covers more than 100 urban wetlands. Laguna Cahuil has been designated for protection, a process expected to be completed by mid-2025.
Commitments of the Chilean government
**Maisa Rojas Corradi**, Minister of the Environment of Chile, explains that the law is part of a broader government effort to protect and restore fragile ecosystems in conjunction with local communities. “Governance is crucial,” said Minister Maisa Rojas.
“The experience of how to govern and make decisions regarding ecosystems is tremendously valuable because we hope it can be replicated in other ecosystems that need to reverse their degradation to address the biodiversity loss crisis.”
As of 2023, the project has helped 60 municipalities and 15 regions restore over 11,000 hectares of wetlands. This work is closely linked to the **Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework**, a historic agreement from 2022 designed to halt and reverse the loss of nature.
The pact includes goals for the conservation and restoration of landscapes such as wetlands, as well as the commitment of countries to “enhance” the contribution of nature to human well-being.
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