Corporación Cultiva

Project title

#ReforestemosChileNativo Campaign

Project Teaser

Through "participative reforestation", Cultiva Chile has engaged over 26'000 volunteers in Chile since the year 2000 and planted almost half a million native tree and bush species. They work by empowering local communities through participatory groups, uniting environmental education, reforestation work and citizen engagement. Cultiva Chile's focuses on recovering the threatened native forests and on creating green spaces in urban areas that improve community life and provide contact with nature and better outdoor learning opportunities.

Active countries

Key Figures

Project Results

Between 2000 and 2018, the  planting work covered 686 ha and 477'748 native tree and bush species (equivalent to 239 tons of CO2 captured at 20 years). Over 26'000 volunteers and 113 schools were engaged in 657 projects.

Vegetation type

Cultiva only plants native shrub and tree species from sclerophyll (hard-leaves, drought-adapted) bush-, woodlands and forests. Some species: Quillaja saponaria, Acacia Caven, Lithrea caustica, Senna candolleana, Maytenus boaria, Kageneckia oblonga, Schinus polygamus.

Climate conditions

The central region of Chile includes temperate oceanic and mediterranean climatic areas. Strong influence from oceanic and atmospheric variations, like El Niño/La Niña, with climate change effects being noticeable in irregular weather patterns and reduced precipitation.

Funding Sources

Funding Government
0%
Funding Internal
10%
Funding Religious groups
0%
Funding International Aid
10%
Funding Private Sponsoring
70%
Funding Inhabitants
10%

Contacts

Organisation
Corporación Cultiva
Organisation contact
Alejandra Vidales Sáez
Phone
+56977677999
Contact E-mail
alejandravidales@cultiva.cl
Address
Santa Julia 514, Ñuñoa
Place
Santiago
Country
Chile

Description

Cultiva Chile started in 2000 as a non-profit organisation dedicated to solving the pollution problem in the capital city of Santiago de Chile. Their original focus was to reforest the surrounding hills and pre-mountainous range to reduce the erosion and amount of dust released into the air. Later on, their work in urban spaces extended into the recovery of the native forests in central Chile, affected by deforestation, monoculture of tree plantations and climate change effects that increase the intensity and consequences of wildfires. Over time, Cultiva has also conducted planting actions in other regions you mentioned like O'Higgins, Maule, Bio Bio and Valparaíso.

Around 2010, Cultiva Chile's work extended to the compensation of emissions and forest management projects. A social enterprise called Corporación Cultiva, also registered in Chile, was created to manage the activities and providing technical services. The two main areas of focus are environmental education through the reforestation of native forest (sclerophyllous plants) and the rehabilitation and improvement of spaces for outdoor learning and contact with nature. Current activities range from reforestation in non-urban areas to greening of public spaces and buildings (squares, schools, parks), and implementing or proofing emissions compensation projects for public and private entities.

In 2017, severe wildfires destroyed around 95'000 ha of native forests. In response, Cultiva launched the #ReforestemosChileNativo campaign with the goal of planting one million trees in the 5 most affected areas. This effort would combine planting with environmental education and initiatives to restart the local economy, continuing the "participative reforestation" approach used by Cultiva.

In this approach, individual planting projects are developed together with community groups as an education and hands-on effort, shaped by anthroposophical principles that link thinking, feeling and acting. The aim is to empower and enable people during the process, increasing their engagement, emotional connection and capacity to act positively for their environment. As a result, they have created a successful citizen movement with over 26'000 volunteers involved in 657 such projects between 2000 and 2018 and close to half a million native trees and bush species planted.

Partnerships & Collaborations

sustinova logo

Sustinova is a non-profit organisation based in Zurich, Switzerland, and devoted to promoting Sustainability in the NGO area.

As a partner, Sustinova provides operational support to Reforestation World in its public activities.

ETH Zurich - Chair of Ecosystem Management

The Chair of Ecosystem management at the ETH Zürich organised the Latsis Symposium ETH 2018 “Scaling-up forest Restoration”, on June 6-7 & 9, 2018.

Reforestation World collaborated with the link to NGOs, practitioners and others stakeholders in the field of forest restoration.