The Río Lluta brings life to the main coastal wetland of northern Chile. Many species of shorebirds come to rest, eat, and seek refuge at the mouth of this river as they migrate along the Pacific coast from the northern hemisphere.
Declared a Municipal Natural Reserve in 2008 and a federal Nature Sanctuary in 2009, the Río Lluta wetland joined the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN) in 2010. The site was designated a WHSRN site of Regional Importance for supporting at least 20,000 shorebirds every year, with records estimating more than 1.4% of the biogeographic population of Sanderling (Calidris alba) and 1.8% of the biogeographic population of Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus). Even with these designations, the site has recently faced a series of disturbances and strong pressure to be developed, due to the lack of regulation on infrastructure projects, threats associated with the nearby urban area and plans to build another property development.
Sanderling (Calidris alba). Photo: Diego Luna Quevedo.
To address these concerns, a workshop was held on May 9-10, 2018 on the campus of the Technological University of Chile in Arica (INACAP by its Spanish acronym). The workshop was titled “Good Governance for the Conservation and Management of the Río Lluta Wetland Nature Sanctuary,” and was coordinated by the Regional Ministerial Secretariat for the Environment of Arica and Parinacota, the Municipality of Arica, and INACAP. The workshop was facilitated by Diego Luna Quevedo, Conservation Specialist with the WHSRN Executive Office. A total of 25 people participated in the workshop, from both public and private institutions and citizens from the surrounding community.
During the two days of the workshop, participants discussed a conceptual framework of the role governance could play in the conservation and management of the area. Through debates, dialogues, and collaborative group exercises, they applied tools of analysis, mapping, and planning for good governance.
Group discussions and collaborative exercises were a key part of the workshop about the conservation and management of the Río Lluta wetland. Photos: Diego Luna Quevedo.
The workshop led to two invaluable announcements from local authorities. Marcelo Cañipa, the Regional Ministerial Secretary of the Environment for Arica and Parinacota, said that “soon, we will be submitting a proposal to expand the boundaries of the Sanctuary from its current 30 hectares to a total of 300 hectares.” And the mayor of Arica, Gerardo Espíndola, announced that “our Municipality reaffirms our commitment to conserve this wetland, and revive the process to protect it through forming a Governance Board.” Both of these commitments are part of the Action Plan that workshop participants built together, to help advance a process of good governance in the very near future.
The participants in the Good Governance workshop in Arica, Chile. Photo: Diego Luna Quevedo.
For more information, please write to Cristopher Schulbe, professional with the Regional Ministerial Secretariat for the Environment of Arica at CSchulbe@mma.gob.cl or Diego Luna Quevedo, WHSRN Conservation Specialist at diego.luna@manomet.org.
