ChileEcosystem restoration · Drought

Conservation and community restoration of peatlands and wetlands in the face of water scarcity in Chiloé, Chile

In Chiloé, Isla Huillín, a group of young people under 35 years of age, faces drought and water scarcity by protecting and restoring peat bogs and pomponales, key ecosystems for retaining water and habitat of the huillín, a species in danger of extinction. Through participatory monitoring with phototrapping and workshops on the water cycle, it brought together more than 15 neighborhood organizations and rural drinking water committees (APR) and delimited critical sectors for water retention.

DroughtEcosystem restoration
Imagen de Conservación y restauración comunitaria de turberas y humedales frente a la escasez hídrica en Chiloé, Chile
Problem
Alteration of the hydrological cycle and increase in seasonal water scarcity in Chiloé due to the deterioration of wetlands and the massive extraction of pompom, putting at risk water security in the territory and the habitat of the huillín (an endangered species).
Action
Participatory monitoring of the presence of the huillín through recording of sightings and phototrapping, in alliance with scientific laboratories; environmental education and water monitoring workshops on the value of peatlands and pomponales to retain water, which made it possible to delimit key sectors to protect; and community restoration and territorial advocacy days together with neighborhood organizations and rural drinking water committees.
Place
N/A, Los Lagos Region, Chile
Youth participation
The group is made up of young people under 35 years of age, who have leadership in the management of educational content, coordination of field campaigns, dissemination on social networks and facilitation of community awareness workshops.

Base information

Measure summary

In Chiloé, Isla Huillín, a group of young people under 35 years of age, faces drought and water scarcity by protecting and restoring peat bogs and pomponales, key ecosystems for retaining water and habitat of the huillín, a species in danger of extinction. Through participatory monitoring with phototrapping and workshops on the water cycle, it brought together more than 15 neighborhood organizations and rural drinking water committees (APR) and delimited critical sectors for water retention.

National vulnerability profile

Chile meets 7 of the 9 climate vulnerability criteria of the UNFCCC. The country faces a prolonged megadrought, heat waves and high-impact forest fires that affect from the Metropolitan Region to the far south, and increasing pressure on its water resources. The degradation of peatlands and pomponales, key to retaining water, compromises water security and threatens critically endangered native species.

Measure objectives

Protect and restore the huillín habitat and peat bog ecosystems in Chiloé; educate about the importance of the water cycle and water retention; articulate a community network for monitoring and defending native biodiversity.

Proposed solutions

Participatory monitoring of the presence of the huillín through recording of sightings and phototrapping, in alliance with scientific laboratories; environmental education and water monitoring workshops on the value of peatlands and pomponales to retain water, which made it possible to delimit key sectors to protect; and community restoration and territorial advocacy days together with neighborhood organizations and rural drinking water committees.

Beneficiary communities

Local and rural communities of Chiloé and inhabitants of the archipelago's basins, including more than 15 neighborhood organizations and rural drinking water committees (APR) articulated by the project, in addition to schools and territorial organizations.

Role of youth

The group is made up of young people under 35 years of age, who have leadership in the management of educational content, coordination of field campaigns, dissemination on social networks and facilitation of community awareness workshops.

Results

A record was consolidated with more than 10 sightings and biological indications of huillín in the island basin in alliance with scientific laboratories. In addition, more than 15 neighborhood organizations and rural drinking water committees (APR) were involved, and water monitoring workshops were held that made it possible to delimit and protect key sectors of peatlands and pomponales, increasing awareness and community governance in the defense of water in Chiloé.

Complementary information

Funding type

Community-based

Local climate problem

Alteration of the hydrological cycle and increase in seasonal water scarcity in Chiloé due to the deterioration of wetlands and the massive extraction of pompom, putting at risk water security in the territory and the habitat of the huillín (an endangered species).

National sociopolitical context

The initiative is part of the public and legislative discussion on the protection of peatlands and pomponales in Chile, added to the application of the Urban Wetlands Law at the municipal level. It is also articulated with the Lafkenche Law (Law No. 20,249), which recognizes the Coastal Marine Spaces of Native Peoples (ECMPO). This figure strengthens community governance and the protection of water security in island and coastal territories.

Strategic alliances

Isla Huillín works with more than 15 neighborhood organizations and rural drinking water committees (APR), which participate in the monitoring and defense of peatlands, and with scientific laboratories that validate huillín records. Socio-environmental groups, rural educational communities, coastal conservation groups and citizen science networks from Chiloé join.

Enabling and limiting factors

As enabling factors, the high commitment and territorial identity of the island communities and the growing local interest in the protection of water resources stand out. Limited financial resources, the pressure of extractive activities on the pompom and the geographical dispersion of the island territory are identified as conditioning factors.

Co-benefits

Preservation of marine and freshwater biodiversity, including the habitat of the huillín, an endangered species; greater water resilience during periods of drought; citizen science data generation; and strengthening the social fabric and cultural identity of Chiloé.

Scalability

The model of community monitoring and education on peatlands is replicable in other island, river and lake basins in the south and the southern zone of Chile with pressures on their wetlands, as long as there is community organization, scientific support to validate the records and financing for workshops and photo-trapping equipment.

Long-term sustainability

Sustainability is supported by community ownership, intergenerational learning and low dependence on complex infrastructure, which facilitates continuity of monitoring. Its main challenge is having financial resources, which are currently limited.

Documents and references

FIPA final report on wetlands and peatlands (Subpesca): https://www.subpesca.cl/fipa/613/articles-104917_informe_final.pdf; Peatland technical file (MMA): https://expedientes.mma.gob.cl/storage/2025/06/30/expedientes/pdf/doc_3_20250630222032.pdf; Technical report on legislation on wetlands and peatlands in Chile (BCN): https://www.bcn.cl/obtienearchivo?id=repositorio/10221/33666/1/BCN_Legislacion_humedales_turberas_2022_FINAL.pdf; Diagnostic study on pompom moss and peatlands in Chiloé (FIA): https://www.fia.cl/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Musgo-Pompon.pdf ; Ecosystem management and diagnosis plan in Chiloé (CIREN/CONAF): https://bibliotecadigital.ciren.cl/bitstream/handle/20.500.13082/28970/1382465935PNChiloe.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y