Lahuen Ñadi Natural Monument

Lahuen Ñadi Natural Monument located in the X Region, comprises 494 acres. Lahuen Ñadi Natural Monument is accessed by the road to the El Tepual airport, which must be taken up to the detour to the Lagunitas Condominium. From that point you will get to the entry of Lahuen Ñadi Natural Monument in 1.8 miles.

In the inner area of Lahuen Ñadi Natural Monument, there is the El Rincón property, an area of great importance since it preserves a small sample of the beautiful alerce (Fitzroya cupressoides) forests of the Central Valley, practically extinguished due to overexploitation. Another sample of flora that can be seen is the coigües (Nothofagus dombeyi) and cinnamon trees (canelos).

In regards to the fauna, at Lahuen Ñadi Natural Monument we can find the chucao tapaculo (chucao), black-throated huet huet (huet huet), Darwin’s toad, slender-billed parakeet (choroy), little mountain monkey (monito del monte), hare and hog-nosed skunk (chingue).

During the XVIII and XIX centuries, there was a large amount of alerce trees in the territory. By mid 1800’s the alerce species was in the verge of extinction due to the colonization in the south of Chile and the continuous fires, which caused the retrieval of the forested area. With that, the lush panorama of the south of Chile, became a European kind of farming frontier.

Then, in the XX century, the lumber industry started to incorporate the Alerce to its industry due to its commercial value. The extraction of the most valuable trees was done with a depredator tower system that would fully extract each specimen out of its place of origin.

Today, the alerce trees reserves are only save within the State National System of Protected Wild Areas (SNASPE [Sistema Nacional de Áreas Silvestres Protegidas del Estado]), where the natural renovation of the species is guaranteed.

The scientific importance of Lahuen Ñadi Natural Monument lies in the fact that is one of the ancient witnesses of the evolution of the climate in the planet. By studying the rings of the specimens of the alerce trees, it was possible to establish a reconstruction of the temperatures during Summer for the south of South America for the last 3,622 years.
It’s necessary to continue with these scientific studies not only to improve the comprehension of the climatic changes in the South Hemisphere, but also when comparing with the North Hemisphere, to allows us to better understand the real extension of the ongoing global climate change.

At Lahuen Ñadi Natural Monument there are specimens of live alerces of 1000 years, with a diameter varying between 30 and 60 centímetros and 50 metros of height. There’s a trail that allows visiting part of the unity and observing the alerce trees and their associated vegetation. The trip may last between 20 and 30 minutes.

Lahuen Ñadi Natural Monument is a perfect place to practice “green” tourism, which is the tourist modality that is environmentally conscient. It consists of traveling or visiting natural areas with the aim of enjoying and appreciating the nature, and of any present or past cultural manifestation that promotes the conservation, has a low impact per visits and supports the active integration and a socio-economic benefit directed to the local populations.

It’s recommended to visit Lahuen Ñadi Natural Monument, especially for those that are interested and would like to enjoy the recreational activities in absolute contact with nature. This monument offers the chance to enjoy the best use of the natural environment together, of course, with a strong tie to the cultural legacy that characterizes our country.

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