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12/1/2000 - Torres del Paine National Park -“El Parque de Los Parques” by Peter Keller

ICWA LETTERS Since Institute Current World Affairs Crane Rogers Foundation provided fellowships enable outstanding young professionals outside United States write about international areas issues An exempt operating foundation endowed Charles R Crane Institute supported contributions minded individuals foundations TRUSTEES Carole Beaulieu Mary Lynne Bird Steven Butler William F Foote Pramila Jayapal Peter Bird Martin Ann Mische Dorothy S Patterson Paul A Rahe Carol Rose Chandler Rosenberger John Spencer Edmund Sutton Dirk J Vandewalle Sally Wriggins HONORARY TRUSTEES David Elliot David Hapgood Pat M Holt Edwin S Munger Richard H Nolte Albert Ravenholt Phillips Talbot Institute Current World Affairs The Crane Rogers Foundation Four West Wheelock Street Hanover New Hampshire 03755 U S A PK THE AMERICAS Peter Keller Forest Society Fellow Institut studying writing about national private parks Chile Argentina Torres Paine National Park El Parque Los Parques By Peter Keller DECEMBER PUERTO NATALES Chile Some landscape photographs ability imagination provoke journey without reason other For happened years I first Chile Torres Paine National Park It calendar photo which I posted wherever I worked during decade This photo granite towers stretching toward milky foreground provided window inspiration I wouldn sight dream going South America swallowed daily tasks Recently I finally towers while visiting Torres Paine December I discovered landscape captivating tures honest something missing Perhaps I expected I making pilgrimage looking greater meaning while anticipating other simpler lessons would learned Why Unique For orientation purposes start where majes scenery exists The geological origin towers phenomenon apart Andes Twelve million years granite intrusion emerged between strata sedimentary rocks known Magellan Basin swelling tabular formation extending kilometers Covering horizontal intrusion kilometer layer stratified The glacial period years eroding softer leaving known Torres Paine Towers Paine The origins doubt although popular explanation paine pronounced meaning Tehuelche language indigenous people probab refers color glacial lakes The other theory Paine early Welsh climber The Massif Torres independent Andes chain located divide Argentine pampas nearly miles north Cape Horn Torres Paine within Chile region known Magallanes Antarctica Region It sparsely populated inhabitant square kilometer compared nearly inhabitants square kilometer average throughout nation The region represents percent Chile population which prise considering meters temperatures average F ferocious winds characterize climate During first evening Puerto Natales population hours south I Simon Littlejohn wildlife photographer England What people realize strong British accent right third largest world building strength thousands meters without anything No wonder bloody windy there The Patagonian Ice Field ranked third behind Antarc Greenland The unrelent strongest November December westerly trade winds across South Pacific Ocean nothing The character abundant wildlife which Simon knows after three summers photograph animals His favorite jects pumas mountain lions Felix concolor He something fanatic spends nearly search elusive Other popular megafauna includes guanacos llama large flightless black swans Chilean flamingos condors About pumas their range hares introduced species guanacos inhabit domestic sheep ranches surround Hunting mountain lions prohibited ranchers known poach mountain lions feeding their sheep Luckily poaching incidents reduced decade The according Chief Naturalist Carlos Barria ranchers replacing sheep herds cattle As Carlos explained neighboring ranchers switch added pressure remaining sheep herds increase predation This domino effect focused attention pumas remaining sheep ranger attention remaining sheep ranchers As result sheep raising steadily declining The qualities wildlife diversity geological mation international recognition Bio sphere Reserve confused World Heritage Site which I wrote about PK regarding Machu Picchu In UNESCO Man Biosphere Program cepted Chilean government nomination Torres Paine National Park Biosphere Reserve status In Gen Biosphere Reserves areas terrestrial coastal ecosystems constituting world network protected areas They intended fulfill three basic functions servation maintain biological diversity development PK nomic development ecologically sustainable logistics research monitoring education formation exchange related issues conservation development Currently sites estab lished countries Seven located Chile United States Glacier Olympic Yellowstone National Parks Private Lands Businesses Public Fees On May Chilean government established beginning hectares naming Parque Nacional Turismo Lago Grey In expanded hectares again hectares renamed called today Two expan sions added total hectares In gesture wildland philanthropy within South America ranch owner Guido Monsino donated hectare Estancia R Paine Paine River Ranch The former ranch buildings administrative center Today remains under private owner location hectares large presence The private Cerro Paine Ranch owned Kusanovic family early pioneers region Ideally located granite towers leeward ranch cattle ranch tourism services A hosteria motel restaurant ground souvenir exist center ranch three refugios shelters provide located along trails radiate operations Other private businesses exist although rklands association concession program Torres Paine This program complex national Chile Currently eleven tracts exist service providers within These range transportation camping sites hotels motels kiosks trekking shelters horse rides Contracts range length years Terms renewing contracts differ Concession government exchange opportunity operat business parkland nearly competition vironment Annual payments within contract range U S kiosk U S hotel In accordance management current level services increased That means further demands lodging services ample located either outside boundary private Cerro Paine Ranch within I asked employee Jovito Gonz second ommand Chief Ranger about opinion regarding future years Like ranger I Torres Jovito exudes pride being stationed where spent years career His nonsense attitude evident refers Torres parque parques parks He predicts years private within because Conaf Chilean service control level development Cerro Paine Ranch In addition concession businesses entrance charged visitors Unlike large U S national parks charge entrance vehicle Torres lected person system where differ Chileans foreigners A Chilean citizen resident I finally found reason becoming resident Chile completing torturous process pesos U S others pesos U S Fee enues divided betwe central government Conaf percent state percent stays Conaf agencies within Conaf In United States programs changed years Legislation within Appro priations Bill changed system select number Na tional Park Service U S Forest Service Bureau Land Management Fish Wildlife Service sites This islation authorized Recreation Fee Demonstration Pro began three pilot project extended through fiscal By sites selected program Institute Current World Affairs federal management Entrance increased depending revenue stays agency instead going rectly Treasury Department Of revenue percent stays where collected percent returns agency The money demonstra program tackle enormous backlog infrastructure pairs Thus projects related improvement repairs grounds trails visitor centers sewage systems roads The millions dollars revenue generated program relatively successful become permanent legisla However public managers program becomes permanent chances great Congress offset reduce budget allocations individual parks amount receive entrance On other several environmental groups expressed concern managers development focused rather preserva focused money improve infrastructure Besides entrance managers Torres Paine charge climbing those attempting scale towers Fees structured different levels reigners U S person another nation U S person The collected central government Santiago If climbing party trouble rangers perform rescue Conaf recover money particular Starting rangers assistance rescue operations Carabineros national police stationed By comparison Climbing Cost Recovery Fee charged U S parks Mount Rainier person climb remains Search Res operations Transportation Visitor Profiles Three different companies operating Puerto Natales provide daily transportation regular schedule No internal transportation system exists within except hailing regularly scheduled buses using Hosteria Las Torres shuttle Cerro Paine Ranch entrance Laguna Amarga In either costs U S In comparison transportation systems parks other local communities Chile system dinated A North American friend Kate Hackett living Santiago visited recently using system She pressed travel coordinated connections raved Peter visiting On second visit I advice She right about travel although transportation system Denali National Park Alaska I experienced frequency buses information interpretation provided Once visitors arrive their patterns erally seven different categories Foreign visitors dominate backpackers group percent A Chilean friend Cristi Landero hiked Torres Circuit known Circuit Pain those plete trail amazed partially irritated foreigner country Most packers during eight foreigners surprised delighted Chilean novelty within country In people using trails totaled which foreigners The popular hiking trips Circuit seven eight journey around massif towers W three three valleys cutting granite towers To reduce backpacking impacts along trails adopted Leave No Trace ethic promoted U S based National Outdoor Leadership School NOLS These rules common sense necessary limit impacts resources Some rules prepare organize advance sistant ground carry carry leave nature PK minimize campfires Other groups range campers climbers boaters researchers The remain categories hotel users visitors steadily increasing numbers Hotel patrons erage visitors lodging Puerto Natales before after their visits In tourists traveling region totaled foreigners nationals That region generated U S million tourism revenue which eight percent national tourism total In particular visitation statistics taken since visitation steadily rising In nearly people visited In people visited Torres percent foreigners Chileans That nearly eight increase period Of visitation total surprised visitors seems arrived transportation through three lines services Puerto Natales The arrive specialized tours rental private No studies money visitors spend other socioeconomic indicators student University Chile Pablo Canazza pleting study An Eye To Future An interdisciplinary group Conaf employees repre sentatives other governmental agencies local chamber tourism developed current management approved The planning process began development perspective seminar Participants invited regional provincial munity governments along regional tourist service providers The first management written Conaf U N Food Agri culture Organization staff In Conaf employees updated Torres Chile through three planning revisions Park planners generally security I think prudent update changing conditions profile The divides seven different management zones which generally correlate closely zoning categories United States These zones include primitive exten intensive natural recovery special intan gible regulated However extensive intangible zones I still intangible The intensive divided eight subzones centered developed areas With establishes definition description objectives standards Besides management zones describes seven program areas their current condition desired condition Program areas include administrative support resource protection environmental education maintenance reation research protection against forest fires The current valid until lists staff additional people during summer season including temporary rangers firefighters researchers volunteers The requests additional staff including rangers current eight It convince concessionaire employees tourism operators needs rangers because common complaint I heard rangers little sense proactive management One local guide eager rarely rangers field encounters entrance station While waiting entrance station I talking about I noticed rangers chatting together Institute Current World Affairs This often called ranger cluster thing avoided public while uniform Impressions sometimes stronger reality greatly influence public perception The management lists regional projects Conaf supports policy level would regional community accom plish Construction needed central terminal Puerto Natales If implemented project would concen trate tourism services transportation travel agencies artisan workshops telephone services location At Torres Paine visitor center administration building other entrance station Usually these facilities entrance information possible visitors reduce impact resources would necessary those conducting business transactions drive middle ministrative office entrance better nearby community For weeks I confused about logistically I asked rangers others knowledgeable about However answer until I asked Jovito Gonz Chief Ranger Puerto Natales would completed several years provid access route The terminus visitor center Whether brilliance planned plain quirk still mystery The route decrease distance Puerto Natales kilometers current kilometers Laguna Amarga entrance station Within management officials series limitations achieving their objectives Along I noticed someone penciled comments status limitation A large NO marked entry describing serious maintaining communications network access information about current conditions They overcome limita working Puerto Natales siness leaders mostly transportation A second entry theme private efforts Cerro Paine Ranch exploiting cattle which negatively affects objectives management One current sticking point bridge Paine River provides hicle access Cerro Paine Ranch This owned bridge narrow vehicles larger pickup truck tween bridge railings The ranch owners asked Conaf build bridge better serve visitors Conaf refuses maintaining benefit ranch owners Reso lution issue probably fought political arena little concern impacts natural resources rather greater concern about economic opportuni often happens profile parks Pilgrimage Sorts More likely three places visit South American journey Machu Picchu Torres Paine Iguaz Falls along Brazil Argentine border Each captivates imagination provokes greater sense appreciation power nature cultures For simple photo obsession seeing towers granite halfway around world However turned scenery provoked appreciation provided lesson So I learn That happy sometimes easier actually others should In either regret experience piness following Icebergs Grey Lake broken Patagonian Ice Field Institute Current World Affairs INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS FELLOWS AND THEIR ACTIVITITES Whitney Mason January TURKEY A freelance television journalist Whit began career founding newspaper called The Siberian Review Novosibirsk worked editor Vladivostok News wrote Asiaweek magazine Hong Kong In switched radio video journalism working Bosnia Korea CBS As ICWA Fellow studying writing about Turkey nexus between East West between traditional secular Islam Jean Beno Nadeau December FRANCE A French Canadian journalist playwright Jean Beno studied drama National Theater School Montreal received B A McGill University Political Science History The holder several Canadian magazine investigative journalism awards spending ICWA fellowship years France studying resistance French trend economic cultural globalization Shelly Renae Browning March AUSTRALIA A surgeon specializing hearing Dr Bro wning studying approaches traditional healers among Aborigines Australia hearing problems She B S Chemistry University South studied physician patient relationships China Australia Thomas J Watson Fellowship M D Emory University Atlanta Before ICWA fellowship Fellow Skull Base Surgery Montreal McGill University Department Otolaryngology Wendy Call May MEXICO A Healthy Societies Fellow Wendy spending years Mexico Isthmus Tehuantepec immersed contradictory trends attempt industrialize develop along proposed Caribbean Pacific containerized railway desire indigenous peoples preserve their Mexico remaining growth forests With B A Biology Oberlin Wendy worked communications coordinator Grassroots International national campaign director Infact porate accountability organization Martha Farmelo April ARGENTINA A Georgetown graduate major psychology minor Spanish Master Public Affairs Woodrow Wilson School Princeton Martha Institute Suzanne Ecke McColl Fellow studying gender issues Argentina Married Argentine doctoral candidate mother small focusing genders which immensely important Italo Latino machismo Martha involved Latin America professional having worked Catholic Relief Services Inter American Development Bank Costa Rica Human Rights Watch Ecuador Inter American Foundation El Salvador Uruguay UN World Conference Women Beijing Gregory Feifer January RUSSIA With fluent Russian Master Harvard Gregory worked Moscow political editor Agence France Presse weekly Russia Journal Greg Russia latest failures economic political reform continuation failed attempts Westernization began Peter Great failures succession behind scenes elites Russia behind mythic facade strong rulers centuries He plans assess continuation these cultural underpinnings Russian governance Gorbachev Yeltsin succession Curt Gabrielson December EAST TIMOR With Missouri background MIT degree physics Curt spending years East Timor watching nation create education system ashes Indonesian system Since finishing M I T Curt focused delivering inexpensive culturally relevant hands science education minority income students Based Teacher Institute Exploratorium San Francisco worked youth teachers Beijing Tibet Mexican agricultural Watsonville Cal ifornia Peter Keller March CHILE Public affairs officer Redwood National Park planner Yosemite National Park before fellowship Peter holds B S Recreation Re source Management University Montana Masters Envi ronmental Law Vermont Law School As John Miller Musser Memorial Forest Society Fellow spending years Chile Argentina comparing operations parks forest reserves controlled Chilean Argentine governments those controlled private governmental organizations Leena Khan April PAKISTAN A lawyer dealing immigration international business Washington DC Leena study status women under islamization Pakistani began 1980s continues Born Pakistan immersed Persian Urdu literature grandfather Muslim herself holds B A North Carolina S University J D University San Diego ICWA Letters ISSN published Institute Current World Affairs Inc exempt operating dation incorporated New York State offices located West Wheelock Street Hanover NH 03755 The letters provided charge members ICWA available libraries professional researchers subscription Phone E Mail ICWA valley Fax Web Site Executive Director Peter Bird Martin Program Assistant Brent Jacobson Publications Manager Ellen Kozak Institute Current World Affairs The Crane Rogers Foundation The information contained publication reproduced without writer permission Institute Fellows chosen basis character previ experience promise They young professionals funded spend minimum years carrying designed programs study writing outsid United States The Fellows required report their findings experiences field month They write subject formally informally The unique reporting analysis periodic sessment international events issues Author Keller Peter Title ICWA Letters The Americas ISSN Imprint Institute Current World Affairs Hanover NH Material Type Serial Language English Frequency Monthly Other Regions East Asia Sub Saharan Africa Mideast North Africa South Asia Europe Russia