We are providing technical support for a new stage of restoration in fire-affected areas of Chubut
Together with Fundación Vida Silvestre Argentina and the Chubut Forest Secretariat, we are supporting the planting of more than 100,000 native trees in areas of the province affected by wildfires.
Throughout September and October, together with Fundación Vida Silvestre Argentina, we are supporting a new stage of native forest restoration led by the Government of Chubut through its Forest Secretariat in strategic areas affected by wildfires.
The campaign aims to plant 109,100 native trees across 127 hectares, distributed among four protected areas: Lago Epuyén Multiple-Use Reserve, Cerro Currumahuida Provincial Reserve, Río Turbio Multiple-Use Park and Reserve, and Río Tigre Protected Natural Area.
Image 1: Cypress seedlings ready at our nursery before being transported to the planting sites. Image 2: One of the greenhouses where the native seedlings used in these campaigns are grown.
Our role in the project
The “Forest Landscape Restoration” component is led by Fundación Vida Silvestre Argentina, with ReforestArg providing technical support. Together, we are supporting the Chubut Forest Secretariat in updating and implementing its comprehensive program for the management and restoration of large areas affected by the 2014–2015 wildfire season.
This work is part of the ProCLIM-AR project (“Promoting low-carbon and climate-resilient development pathways for Argentina”), a bilateral cooperation initiative between Argentina and Germany implemented through the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), within the framework of the International Climate Initiative (IKI), promoted by Germany’s Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN). The consortium also includes Fundación AVINA, with the participation of Argentina’s National Undersecretariat for the Environment and the National Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries.
Image 3: Members of our technical team assessing and measuring seedlings at our nursery in Cholila. Image 4: Trays of cypress seedlings ready at our nursery in Cholila.
A site-specific approach
The sites were selected based on technical criteria, including the extent of fire damage, the presence of native and exotic species, and each area’s potential for natural regeneration.
In Lago Epuyén and Río Turbio, where local communities and residents live, participatory processes were also incorporated, enriching the planning process.
The intervention is tailored to each site: in some areas, planting will take place directly, while in others it will first be necessary to create clearings and remove young pine trees that emerged after the wildfires. In every case, the work includes long-term monitoring of plantation growth, allowing us to continuously adjust the restoration strategy over time.
