Second of Three Parts
Over time, the lagoon shrunk, species began to die off and algae–fed by pollution – proliferated, releasing a powerful odor as it decayed, Erath says. The lagoon’s decline threatened a host of industries, from fishing to tourism to salt mining.
Two years ago, that began to change thanks to the effort supported by UNEP, and funded by the Chilean government and the Global Environment Facility.
Engineers and the local government developed a plan to breach a sandbar that separated the lagoon from the sea, says Luis Araya, who coordinated the work in Cahuil under the Global Environment Facility.
After months of preparation, during an especially rainy week in June 2023, they removed a section of the sandbar, sending saltwater cascading into the lagoon.
“We helped the lagoon recover its natural dynamic through this intervention and we did it in a sustainable way,” says Araya. “We hope that the wetland can continue functioning naturally for many more years.”
The return of the salt water has restored the salinity levels of the lagoon and reined in the algae blooms. Locals say tourism has since rebounded, as has the fishing industry.
Part of the project’s goal has been to save wetlands by merging conservation with economic development, a process known as sustainable land management.
“Conservation cannot exist in a vacuum,” says UNEP’s Erath. “The reality is that people in developing nations, like Chile, often rely on natural resources for their survival. The key to protecting fragile ecosystems, like wetlands, is to strike a balance between protection and economic development.”
Alongside the work with the sandbar, teams installed observation posts on the fringes of the lagoon for birdwatching, fenced off nesting areas and helped local officials develop a conservation protocol. That has made tourism less damaging to local wildlife and more sustainable over the long term.
The changes have sparked the rebound of several avian species, including the endangered pilpilen, says Lucia Zapata an environmental activist and member of the group Pichilemu Animal.
“It’s amazing to see how species are thriving,” Zapata adds, sitting on one of the observation platforms overlooking the lagoon. “It’s a model that can be replicated not only in Chile but worldwide.” UNEP News
