Blazing New Paths in Patagonia

Helping control erosion and improve hiking trail conditions in Torres del Paine National Park — as well as designing and constructing new trails — Las Torres Reserve has formed an alliance with three leading conservation groups to achieve these goals.

“Hiking trails are vital for protected areas and one of our priorities is to move towards long lasting sustainable trails,” says Mauricio Kusanovic Olate, executive director of Las Torres Reserve and president of the AMA Torres del Paine environmental nonprofit.

“Most of the trails in the national park and Las Torres Reserve were originally created by and for animals that live there, and so they are not designed for sustainable usage or to withstand the climate and dynamics of the mountain.”

That’s why the construction of new durable and environmentally friendly trails is so important for sustainable tourism in the national park.

In 2021, Las Torres partnered with a Conservation Volunteers International Program (Conservation VIP), which had worked hand in hand with CONAF and the Torres del Paine Legacy Fund on several emblematic trail projects over the past 15 years.

Other partners in the endeavor include LATAM Airlines and Cerveza Austral, which are part of the “Your Best Footprint” campaign and a commitment to sustainable tourism.