Ecotourism in the Valdivian Temperate Rainforest

Valdivia Temperate Rainforest is an area between 36 and 47° S. consisting of a majority of the country Chile and a small part of Argentina totaling about 12.7 million hectares. The Valdivian forest is one of the few forested regions in the world with climate conditions to be considered a temperate climate. Its ecological systems provide habitat for a clustering of some of the highest biodiversity in the world. Many of the species are endemic to Valdivia and are decedents of Gondwana Species. For example, Araucaria araucana or "Monkey Puzzle Tree", and Fitzroya cupressoides "Alerce". Due to the region's unique landscape and biodiversity millions of visitors come to the area annually. National Parks in the region provide opportunities for many tourism operations. In an effort to help preserve and expand conserved areas Ecotourism or Sustainable Tourism plays a vital role. The economic benefits affect not only the park areas but also the local communities. Ecotourism accounts for 4.6% of Chile's GNP.

Since the 1980s Chile has been promoting ecotourism, and has seen annual increases in both visitors and income occur every year since. Between 2006 and 2007 visitor numbers increased from 2.25 million to 2.5 million. Revenue from ecotourism services and national parks results in a 2-3% increase in gross income. Through the year 43% of tourists visit national parks in the regions of de los Rios and de los Lagos. The top three destinations in those areas are the Coguillio National Park, the Villarica National Park, and the Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park. The last of those hosts 25% of all visitors to Chile.

Approximately 14.1 million hectares of the Valdivian forest is in the Chilean government conservation park system SNASPE. La Corporación Nacional Foresta (CONAF), a Chilean government agency under the Ministry of Agriculture, make decision on forest policies and sustainable forest management. Funding is provided by several sources including government funding, park fees, and private investments. SNASEP conservation land is divided into four different categories (1) Virgin Region Reserve (2) National Park (3) National Reserve (4) National Monument. Within National Parks CONAF identifies and assigns land into six different zones:

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