Between June 26 and 28, Ancud will host the fourth edition of the **Pala en Mano Conservation Festival**, led by Uñu Lab, which seeks to promote the **regeneration of the native forest** in Chiloé, as a privileged territory for **carbon storage**.
Activities of **environmental education** and the **planting** of 4500 **native trees** will bring together **territorial leaders** from the public, private, and civil sectors.
## Pala en Mano Festival
The festival program will include the screening of documentaries in collaboration with **Santiago Wild Fest and Ladera Sur**, environmental education talks, and the participation of **Noemí Manríquez** (17 years old), an **environmental activist** known as “Niña Planeta” and founder of Adolescenteimpacta.
The planting sessions will take place in the areas of Nal, Pupelde, and Huicha.
**Javier García, executive director of UÑU Lab**, states: “**Chiloé** has two great qualities, the first is related to the richness of its **ecosystem** due to its unique **biodiversity**, and the second with the capacity of its **soils** and **trees** to store more than double the **carbon** than the **Amazon**, however, it is a very fragile area under constant threat.
## Nature doesn’t wait and needs us
Every **winter** we renew this commitment focused on environmental education, activism in the territory, and planting **volunteering** with schools, companies, and institutions. This edition of the festival is supported by the Municipality and the Environmental Department (DIMAO) of Ancud, as well as companies like JRI Ingeniería, Gnomo, Viña Matetic, Salfa Rent, Beeok, Landskap, among others.
**Alfredo Caro, Director of Environment, Waste, and Ornamentation** (DIMAO, Municipality of Ancud), affirms: “For the Municipality of **Ancud**, it is extremely important to manage and support these types of initiatives that promote **citizen participation**, **environmental awareness**, and **climate action**.
We have been supporting this festival since its inception, and we are increasingly giving meaning to the actions that are generated, which are also part of the **environmental strategy**.
The municipal **climate change** action plan involves **reforesting** public and private spaces, thus improving community spaces, which helps the **degraded ecosystem** store more **water** and thus mitigate the impact of the **water crisis** that the **archipelago** has been facing for many years.”
According to a scientific study by the **Institute of Ecology & Biodiversity (IEB)**, Chiloé has the capacity to capture twice the amount of **carbon dioxide** compared to the **Amazon**.
## Restoration of the native forest
The native forest of Chiloé has been **degraded by human action** and industries, losing much of its **biodiversity**, which is why **Uñu Lab** focuses its efforts of the **Pala en Mano Festival** on regional **reforestation**, due to its **carbon storage capacity** in its forests and soil.
Reinhard Fitzek, **Planting Manager of UÑU Lab and Master in Forest Sciences**, explains that the ecological restoration program of **Pala en Mano Festival** is designed to **generate sustained impact** in the long term, evaluating the plantations made in previous seasons and conducting scientifically based trials at the Senda Darwin Biological Station.
## How was the Pala en Mano planting carried out?
The design of “**plantation quadrants**” (grids) stands out, facilitating monitoring and optimization of planting techniques.
He adds that “this year they are incorporating **new lands** made available by **private owners**, with the aim of contributing to the **conservation of the native forests** in the northern area of the **Big Island**.
The species selection is based on the observation of remnants of the **original forest** nearby and the study of the “potential vegetation” of the area, considering the **natural conditions** of each site, such as **marine winds**.”
For the past 6 years, UÑU Lab has been working on the **regeneration of its** wooded territories through the **planting of species** such as coihue, canelo, ulmo, notro, arrayán, luma, meli, olivillo, mañío, maqui, trevo, and tiaca, endemic to its **native forest**.
UÑU Lab defines itself as an **innovation laboratory** committed to the **sustainable development** of Chiloé. To achieve this, they work on the pillars of reforestation, environmental education, and **artisanal work**, offering community programs such as the **Pala en Mano Festival**, and others aimed at the private sector, including their **Regenerative Volunteering Program**.
They also design and implement ESG strategies for **companies** that seek continuous improvement in their **economic and environmental performance**.
More information about the festival at: [https://unulab.cl/festival/](https://unulab.cl/festival/)
