Valdivia, Chile: A Wetland City Thanks to Citizens Effort
HAVANA TIMES – Valdivia, Chile, has become the first Latin American city to be designated as a Wetland City by the Ramsar Convention. This recognition is the result of a 21-year-long citizen movement that began in defense of the black-necked swans, which nearly disappeared due to severe pollution of the Cruces River.
“This Wetland City designation is a recognition of the tremendous effort and struggle of the community, which has positioned wetlands as a key factor not only in environmental discussions but also in economic and social development debates within the municipality of Valdivia,” Jose Araya, executive secretary of the Wetland Community Association, told IPS.
Araya, 61, is a history and geography teacher. After advocating for human rights during the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet (1973-1990), he became an environmental activist and defender of nature.
“We hope this international recognition allows us to advance in key areas to improve the management of wetlands, both by the local community and public institutions,” he said in an interview with IPS from Valdivia, the capital of the Los Rios region in southern Chile.
With a population of 127,750 and located 849 kilometers south of Santiago, Valdivia is surrounded by several rivers, including the Cruces, Calle Calle, Cau Cau, and Valdivia—the only one that flows into the Pacific Ocean.
Fifteen percent of the city’s territory consists of wetlands, covering 15,000 hectares.
In 1981, the Cruces River wetland was the first in Chile to be designated as such under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, named after the Iranian city where it was adopted a decade earlier.
Environmental Crisis and Recovery
In 2004, Valdivia became the epicenter of a severe environmental crisis when the waters of the Cruces River—home to the primary breeding site of black-necked swans (Cygnus melancoryphus)—were contaminated by industrial waste from the Celulosa Arauco pulp mill.
This pollution led to the disappearance of luchecillo (Egeria densa), the swans’ main food source, causing a dramatic decline in their population from 5,000 to just a few hundred.
“Today, we proudly affirm that protecting the Cruces River wetland creates conditions for a thriving bird population. The protection of black-necked swans and the unique landscape support local economic activities, entrepreneurship, and eco-tourism,” Araya summarized.
Wetlands in Decline
The protection of wetlands is part of Chile’s broader efforts to address climate change challenges, including wildfires and floods.
Chile has approximately 40,000 wetlands of 20 different types, covering 4.5 million hectares—5.9% of the country’s total land area. Thirteen of these wetlands have been designated as Ramsar sites, covering 361,760 hectares.
Wetlands hold immense environmental value but are highly vulnerable. They serve as natural habitats for flora and fauna, including fish, crustaceans, amphibians, reptiles, and migratory birds. They also act as freshwater reservoirs by naturally filtering contaminants and replenishing aquifers.
Additionally, wetlands help reduce high concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus, store carbon in their sediments, and manage surface water, mitigating floods and wildfires.
The Ramsar Convention highlights their role in biodiversity conservation, noting that 40% of the planet’s plant and animal species live in wetlands. Over 100,000 species of freshwater organisms have been documented in these ecosystems.
Wetlands also help stabilize greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the effects of climate change.
However, they are threatened by water extraction, agrochemical use, industrial waste dumping, deforestation, land drainage for coastal road construction, and real estate development.
Globally, wetland coverage declined by 64% to 71% in the 20th century, and the loss continues today.
Valdivia, a Wetland City
Valdivia was chosen as the first Wetland City in Latin America during the 64th meeting of the Ramsar Convention’s Standing Committee, held in Gland, Switzerland, from January 20 to 24. It joined an exclusive group of 43 cities worldwide.
Chile’s Minister of the Environment, Maisa Rojas, told IPS that Ramsar’s recognition of Chilean wetlands “represents the government’s commitment to adopting necessary measures to ensure the ecological integrity of these areas, promoting biodiversity conservation and water source protection.”
Since 2020, Chile has enforced a Law for urban wetland protection. A new bill aimed at protecting rural wetlands is currently under review in the Senate.
Under the current law, the Ministry of the Environment has designated 129 urban wetlands from Arica in the north to Magallanes in the far south. These urban ecosystems span 13,700 hectares, with another 107 sites in the process of recognition.
Minister Rojas stated that “the Ramsar Convention’s recognition of Valdivia as a Wetland City positions Chile at the forefront of sustainable development globally.”
Furthermore, she emphasized that “this designation highlights the crucial role of wetlands in climate change adaptation and mitigation, as well as their significance for community well-being and progress. It also acknowledges the essential work carried out by citizens in protecting these ecosystems, which are vital for biodiversity.”
Rojas noted that wetlands absorb and regulate excess water.
“In Valdivia, its inhabitants understand the importance of wetlands and have built a long-standing tradition of protecting them. Since the disaster involving black-necked swans, citizens have been actively mobilizing for nature conservation,” she said.
She added that Valdivia’s Wetland City status would attract tourism and investment, encourage conservation projects, and provide a framework for wetland management, fostering further development in Chile.
Mobilization to Protect Wetlands in Algarrobo
Laura Araya, a natural resources engineer and national project coordinator for the Kennedy Foundation—an organization dedicated to wetland conservation in Chile for the past 20 years—told IPS that education on this topic “is a long-term process, but we are receiving increasing support and recognition.”
She noted a growing interest in environmental protection, especially among younger generations and children.
“This makes wetlands a particularly significant topic as a vital water resource. More communities are participating in our activities, and support networks are expanding,” she said.
This is crucial because wetlands are suffering from climate change impacts, water scarcity, and rising temperatures. “But we remain hopeful because public and private institutions, along with citizens, are becoming increasingly engaged,” she affirmed.
According to Araya, Valdivia’s designation as a Wetland City is crucial because it showcases wetlands as an integral part of urban ecosystems, contributing to sustainable city living.
“It invites society to rethink the places we inhabit and explore how we can integrate water into daily life, protect biodiversity, and replicate these efforts elsewhere,” she emphasized.
Marcela Arratia, a 45-year-old veterinary doctor, is the project coordinator for the Kennedy Foundation in Algarrobo, a popular coastal city 100 kilometers north of Santiago.
Along with her partner, Mauricio Tapia, a 46-year-old architect and photographer, she monitors the El Membrillo and San Jeronimo wetlands near San Alfonso del Mar, a beachfront residential complex.
IPS accompanied them on an inspection of both wetlands to count and photograph the nesting bird species.
These monitoring efforts help identify changes, threats, and risks to the wetlands while educating visitors on responsible attitudes toward nature.
Sixteen additional volunteers assist in these tasks, encouraging local citizens to take an active role in protecting their wetlands.
This was evident during World Wetlands Day on February 2, which saw hundreds of residents participating in yoga classes, literary activities, a photography exhibition, a painting workshop, and, as the main event, a guided tour of these unique wetland areas.