Chilechiquenses traveled back in time to learn about the flora and fauna of their past

Did you know that in the current Patagonian steppe of Chile Chico, there was a volcanic beach, a subtropical forest, and a part of the Atlantic Ocean? This was part of what the paleontologist Enrique Bostelmann taught the community during a visit that included talks and a community outing.

About 50 students from the Chile Chico school and the Luisa Rabanal Palma Bicentennial High School participated in the talk “Get on the time machine and let’s get to know the fossils of Patagonia National Park,” learning about its past millions of years ago.

“We see it as a different kind of training, an instance of personal growth. In towns as isolated as Chile Chico, the fact that we have these opportunities to increase the cultural heritage of our students is a tremendous benefit for us,” emphasized Valko Durán Ivanoff, director of the Liceo Bicentenario Luisa Rabanal Palma.

Photo: Rigoberto Jofré for Rewilding Chile

Photo: Rigoberto Jofré for Rewilding Chile

Photo: Rigoberto Jofré for Rewilding Chile

Photo: Rigoberto Jofré for Rewilding Chile

Photo: Rigoberto Jofré for Rewilding Chile

Photo: Rigoberto Jofré for Rewilding Chile

Photo: Rigoberto Jofré for Rewilding Chile

Photo: Rigoberto Jofré for Rewilding Chile

Photo: Rigoberto Jofré for Rewilding Chile

Photo: Rigoberto Jofré for Rewilding Chile

Photo: Rigoberto Jofré for Rewilding Chile

Photo: Rigoberto Jofré for Rewilding Chile

Photo: Rigoberto Jofré for Rewilding Chile

Photo: Rigoberto Jofré for Rewilding Chile

Photo: Rigoberto Jofré for Rewilding Chile

The community was also able to participate in this knowledge through an open talk held at the Casa de la Cultura, where the paleontologist presented the work developed together with Conaf with the project Characterization of the fossils of the eastern sector of Patagonia National Park and also in a guided community outing to the Rocapampa sector, an area adjacent to the protected area, which is currently closed for the winter season.

“What I like most is that people are surprised because these things are here, as we say colloquially, in the house’s backyard, and that many people do not know or know little about. The second thing is the reflections that arise from observing these things,” said paleontologist Enrique Bostelmann.

Carolina Cerda, community outreach director of the Rewilding Chile Foundation, emphasized the objective of these activities, which are part of the Friends of Patagonia National Park Program. “We are very interested in bringing this knowledge and science to the community because, in some way, we can contribute to the knowledge of the heritage that exists in the territory, contribute to the history, and that the community can protect its park through conservation.”

Finally, we would like to thank all those who attended the developed activities thanks to the support of Conaf and the Municipality of Chile Chico.