Wildlife Conservation Society Announces Advisory Council For Conservation Lands in Tierra Del Fuego
Council includes distinguished Chilean Citizens

The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) announced today the creation of an advisory council that includes of some of Chile’s most distinguished citizens in the scientific and business communities to cooperate in the management of a sprawling wilderness on Tierra del Fuego, donated to WCS last September by Goldman Sachs.  This transfer of lands represented one of the most significant gifts of private land worldwide, due to its size, the ecosystems it contains and their importance to conservation on a global scale. 

The advisory council’s objective will be to provide recommendations to WCS in connection with the development of the protected area and associated sustainable development on the Chilean lands owned by WCS.  Emphasis will be placed on sound science and strong community involvement.  The Advisory Council is composed in its majority of Chilean members.

Since the announcement of the donation, WCS has been building relationships with the local community, fulfilling its pledge to give Chileans a leading role in this world-class conservation initiative.  In May, WCS announced the appointment of two well-known scientists, Dr. Bárbara Saavedra and Dr. Javier Simonetti to lead WCS work in Chile.  Dr. Saavedra is the WCS country manager responsible for all WCS activities in Chile including the TDF program and Dr. Simonetti is acting as senior advisor to WCS.

The Advisory Council includes: Mr. Mateo Martinic, a renowned historian from the Universidad de Magallanes in Punta Arenas; members of the scientific community including Dr. Juan Carlos Castilla of the Catholic University of Chile, Dr. Rodolfo Dirzo of Stanford University, Dr. Guillermo Donoso of the Catholic University of Chile, Dr. Antonio Lara of the Universidad Austral, Dr. Ricardo Rozzi of the Universidad de Magallanes/University of Northern Texas, and Dr. Javier Simonetti of the Universidad de Chile; leaders in the business community including Ms. Kathleen C. Barclay, Principal - O’Leary & Barclay, Mr. Pedro Ibáñez, Chairman - Corpora S.A., and Mr. Eliodoro Matte, Chairman - Empresas CMPC S.A., along with  Dr. Steven Sanderson, President and CEO of WCS, Dr. John Robinson, Executive Vice President for Conservation and Science of WCS, Dr. Kent Redford, Director of the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Institute, and Mr. Lawrence H. Linden, Advisory Director of Goldman Sachs.  Dr. Barbara Saavedra has been appointed as Secretary to the Council.  The first meeting will be held in Punta Arenas today to begin development of a work plan to provide recommendations regarding management of the lands.

 “Last year, the Wildlife Conservation Society pledged that our conservation work in Tierra del Fuego will be done in cooperation with a distinguished advisory council to be selected and made up in its majority by Chilean citizens.  Today we are here to proudly announce that our pledge has been fulfilled.  We think of this as an important first step in a long future of successful collaboration with Chilean leaders and their communities on behalf of conservation," said Dr. Steven Sanderson.

 The Tierra del Fuego lands contain large stands of old-growth lenga forests, a native species of southern beech tree, as well as peat bogs, alpine meadows, river systems, and spectacular snow-capped mountains.  The landscape supports a wide range of wildlife, including Magellanic woodpeckers (a cousin of the recently rediscovered ivory-billed woodpecker of the southern US), firecrown hummingbirds, and the culpeo fox.  The guanaco, a member of the camel family, is the region’s signature animal, symbolic of the valuable open ecosystems of southern South America.

To assure continuity in this important project, WCS and Goldman Sachs, along with the Goldman Sachs Charitable Fund announced the establishment a formal alliance last September that would last for three years.  Its purpose would be to ensure a smooth hand off of the properties and to assist in a successful launch of the creation of the reserve.  Goldman Sachs Charitable Fund’s support included a substantial gift of endowment and operating support. WCS’s conservation work will be done in cooperation with the distinguished advisory council which is announced today.

Since the early 1960s, WCS has been committed to conserving wildlife and wild lands of the Southern Cone of South America.  In that time WCS has helped create protected areas to safeguard populations of Magellanic penguins, South American sea lions, southern elephant seals and southern right whales.

Currently, WCS works with Chilean organizations in Bernardo O’Higgins National Park, a spectacular protected area known for its fjords, glaciers and sub-Antarctic rainforests.  WCS also supports blue whale conservation in southern Chile and research of southern sea birds found in this diverse region.  Regarding the project in Tierra del Fuego, Dr. Saavedra said: “Over the last year, WCS has focused its efforts in contacting a broad base of local stakeholders from both the public and private sectors.  The objective of these conversations has been to familiarize them with the project and to plan future joint activities which will strengthen sustainable conservation for the project.  To date, the response has been positive, which provides an excellent base for our future activities on Tierra del Fuego”.

The Wildlife Conservation Society saves wildlife and wild lands through careful science, international conservation, education, and the management of the world’s largest system of urban wildlife parks (including the Bronx Zoo). These activities change attitudes toward nature and help people imagine wildlife and humans living together in harmony.  WCS is committed to this work because it believes it is essential to the integrity of life on Earth.

In the US:
Stephen Sautner
Tel: (1-718) 220-3682
ssautner@wcs.org

John Delaney
Tel: (1-718) 220-3275
jdelaney@wcs.org

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