I’ve been saying for years that timing is wildlife encounters. Right now, surrounded by playful Peale’s Black-chinned Dolphins in the Magellan Strait, this sentiment couldn’t be more true. These curious cetaceans are putting on quite a show, diving under our zodiac and surfacing with splashes that send sprays of icy water across our faces. Just minutes ago, we were chasing distant whale spouts on the horizon. Now, nature has brought us our own private perform ance.
Looking back toward shore, the lighthouse stands sentinel on the cliff, just as it has for generations. But today, this historic beacon marks more than just safe passage through treacherous waters – it’s about to become part of Chile’s newest national park. Being here feels like witnessing history unfold in real time.
This is Cape Froward, where the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans meet, and where a new chapter in conservation is being written. The story of this place, and the extraordinary efforts to protect it, challenges conventional approaches to creating national parks in the 21st century.
Welcome to the End of the Americas
Welcome back to Rewildology. I’m Brooke Mitchell, and today we’re at the very edge of the continent in Punta Arenas, where the road south quite literally ends at a gate marking the boundary of what will soon become one of Chile’s newest national parks.
After a pre-dawn departure and several hours of driving south from Torres del Paine, we’ve arrived in Punta Arenas, where I’m meeting Gabriela Garrido, a marine biologist and project coordinator for Rewilding Chile. Born and raised in Punta Arenas, Gabi isn’t just helping create a new national park – she’s helping reshape the future of her hometown. I hop into her truck, and we start the almost hour-long drive to the entrance of the soon-to-be Cape Froward National Park. Along the way, Gabi teaches me about the area.
Brooke: There’s clearly a lot of European influence on Punta Arenas.
Gabi: Yes.
Brooke: So, was it like a mixture of Europeans that came? Or was it mostly Swiss? Or?
Gabi: Mostly, uh, Croatians. British. Spanish, a little bit. But mostly Croatian and British. And from Chile, people from Chiloé. The British were the ones that developed the first big economies here.
Punta Arenas, situated along the Magellan Strait, has been a crucial crossroads for centuries. Before the Panama Canal, every ship traveling between the Atlantic and Pacific had to pass through these waters. The British East India Company, commercial steamships, explorers, and traders – they all stopped here.
Gabi: From 1850 to 1890, all the steam navigation was very important through the Magellan Strait. [The Panama Canal] had not yet been built, so all transit from the Atlantic to the Pacific was from here. Punta Arenas was a strategic point that provided all of the ships with forests. They were steamboats. The main transit was from Liverpool to Valparaiso.
Here the main activities were farming, the sheep farming industry, run mainly by the British, and they produced all types products from meat, canned livers, uh, everything that got exported to England until 1915, and then started to decrease.
Driving away from the city, Gabi explains the history of Agua Fresca. The area began with just a few houses and was once a cooperative farmland from the 1930s until the 1960s. The history runs deep – Croatian immigrants, British traders, workers from the island of Chiloé, all drawn by the promise of sheep farming and the strategic importance of the strait.
Gabi: This area is called Agua Fresca. It started with just a couple of houses. In the past, it was a cooperative of farmland imposed by the government. A long time ago—I’m talking the ’30s until the ’60s. And then they spread and started to sell. And now, in the past five years, it has grown. This was one of the main Estancias that were here. It was a hotel, actually, in 1905 [it was established].
Brooke: Wow. So, 125 years ago.
Gabi: By the Swiss.
But today, we’re not here for the past – we’re here for the future.
Why This Location Was Chosen
This location is particularly significant within the Route of Parks of Patagonia vision. While most of the existing 17 parks in the route protect inland mountains, glaciers or forests, Cape Froward will fill a critical gap by preserving the southern coastal transition zone where the continent meets the sea. It will serve as the southernmost anchor in this 1,700-mile conservation corridor, completing the protection of ecosystems from the temperate rainforests of Pumalín in the north to these wind-swept southern shores where two oceans converge.
Brooke: So, how did the idea of this park come to be?
Gabi: It’s the last distribution area of the huemul. But it also contains a very particular ecosystem that has not been represented in other national parks. So it’s important on that matter, too.
But also, it is a project that has a very social aspect. It will bring to Punta Arenas a very strong development opportunity around the conservation of an area—to move local economy. And also, this territory is claimed by an indigenous community that is called the Kawésqar.
Cape Froward’s Connection to Indigenous Communities
Perhaps the most revolutionary aspect of Cape Froward’s creation lies in its relationship with indigenous communities. The Kawésqar people have lived in this region for thousands of years, developing sophisticated ways of life adapted to these marine environments. Now, they have the opportunity to be part of the park’s future through co-administration agreements.
Gabi: We have four native nations here: the Selkʼnam, Yaghan, Kawésqar and Huilliches. The Kawésqar were one of them. They were nomads. They moved through the channels. You still have the people [here]. They’re not that much, but they are part of them. You have 17 communities. They are grouped around families, and some of them are all about development. They work with the salmon fishing industry. But others are for the conservation of the ocean, of Patagonia, and all that exists. So, we have both worlds.
But this work, in particular, which I love, and that’s my goal, is to really connect them. Because for all the communities with a different thinking, this represents a good opportunity for them to develop because from this point to the south, until the end of the road where the park will start, you have concessions, but only for the Kawésqar community. So, they are actually the closest neighbors of the park.
Brooke: So, it sounds like they might be open to hosting tourists and giving, like, cultural activities and stuff?
Gabi: Yes, because, like everywhere, [their community is] poor. So this represents an economic development opportunity. And also here in Chile, you have the possibility for them to ask for the co-administration of the park.
Brooke: Oh, cool! So they could actually be a part of the decision-making of the park.
Gabi: Yes.
Brooke: Wow. That is incredible.
As we reach the end of the road, Gabi points to what looks like an ordinary trailhead, telling me with obvious pride that this will be the entrance to Cape Froward National Park.
Brooke: We’re here?
Gabi: Yes.
Brooke: Oh my gosh, we’re here!
Gabi: Yes, this is the end of the road.
Brooke: [Laughing] Literally, there is a gate.
Gabi: Yes, we have to walk.
The moment we step onto the beach, I understand why this place is so special. To our left, the Magellan Strait stretches toward the Pacific. To our right, it reaches toward the Atlantic. Directly ahead, waves crash against the shoreline where these two great oceans meet. Above us, black-browed albatrosses soar on the legendary winds of Patagonia, while pairs of kelp geese – the males bright white, the females camouflaged in deep brown – patrol the tideline.
Brooke: I love all the shells and all of the rocks. Cause even here, there’s so much to see. Algae, and all these plants. All the birds. I can only imagine what it’s like underwater.
Learning More About the Area’s Ecosystems
Stand here at the end of the Americas, and you begin to understand why this place captured the imagination of explorers for centuries. The collision of two oceans has created something extraordinary – a living laboratory where marine and terrestrial ecosystems blend together in ways that scientists are still trying to understand.
Gabi: We have regular scientific expeditions to recognize the whole coastal area. The [Rewilding Foundation] recently hired a marine conservation director. So, there’s a big compromise with getting to that line. And not only here in Magallanes, but through the whole Route of the Parks, [is] to get people to understand that everything is connected, you know? If you protect even just the kelp forest line, which is a couple of hundred meters. [This is] very important because it’s on the transition from the kelp forest to this forest where you have the most species diversity. It’s called the Ecotone. So that’s an environmental concept that hasn’t been really recognized by the authorities. So, well, we’re enforcing that.
Soon, this remarkable convergence of land and sea will become one of the newest additions to Chile’s Route of Parks of Patagonia.
The Birth of a National Park
Creating a national park isn’t as simple as drawing lines on a map. It’s a complex dance of ecology, politics, and community relations. After a two-and-a-half-mile trek across rocky, beach terrain, we arrive at a run-down estate. The building’s former grandeur still shines through the weathered walls and chipped paint. Gabi tells us that this home will more than likely become the headquarters of the new park after it’s been restored. We grab our lunches from our packs and take a seat on the weather-faded terrace. Gabi pulls out a map and tells us the story behind Cape Froward.
She explains that the foundation acquired this land at the end of 2021 – 93,492 hectares. But that was just the beginning. What started as an ambitious conservation project has grown even bigger. Just last week – news so recent that the government hadn’t even been informed yet on the date we recorded this conversation – Rewilding Chile purchased another 34,000 hectares.
Gabi: So, the project started with the acquisition of this land, which is in Orange. The Foundation [bought] this land at the end of 2021. Um, I don’t know what it is in acres, but this [area] is 93,492 hectares. So with that land, what happened is that in March of this year, they proposed to the president to donate this area, and the government will give this area in yellow and this area. [The areas] are already protected areas. They’re not managed by the forestry service, but they are protected. And the government said yes.
New news, but the Foundation just bought this land last week.
Brooke: Last week? Oh my gosh!
Gabi: Yes, we are also going to integrate [it] to this donation. So almost another 34,000 hectares.
Brooke: Wow!
Gabi: Yeah, and this is the future one. We’re going for that one next. Um, so this whole area will be around 250,000 right there. Our national park. And we’re here.
Brooke: Wow. So, this is barely even touching the surface of what this is going to be.
Gabi: Yes. This is five kilometers.
Brooke: Five kilometers versus 250,000 hectares.
Gabi: Yes.
But the numbers only tell part of the story. What makes Cape Froward truly special is its position at the intersection of multiple ecosystems. The coastal forests here are different from anything we’ve seen so far on our journey through Patagonia – taller, more verdant, adapted to the unique conditions where land meets sea. The waters offshore harbor rich kelp forests that support an incredible diversity of marine life.\
Terrestial Protections for now – Marine later
Cape Froward represents a revolutionary approach to conservation in Chile. Rewilding Chile is actively preparing this land to be donated to the government, the same model used successfully with other parks along the Route of Parks. Unlike traditional protection which often focuses on single ecosystems, this park will protect the crucial transition zone where Patagonia’s mountains meet the sea, creating a continuous chain of life from mountaintop to seafloor. This approach acknowledges what indigenous communities have always known—in nature, there are no boundaries between land and sea.
Gabi: There was to be a marine protected area associated with the terrestrial part. But the president at that time say no.
Brooke: Why not?
Gabi: Because the political movement right now in Magallanes is not really in favor of it. For the past two years, there has been a big conflict between the salmon industry and protected areas in general. There’s another conflict with the pandemic, and so there’s a social aspect. Also the artisanal fishermen are not really up to it because they say it interferes with their liberty to fish anywhere. That is partly true, but they are very linked to the salmon farming industry because they provide services when they are not in the fishing season.
In terms of the terrestrial establishment of this new park, [it’s been] very positive impact. So [the establishment of it] should be very fast. But we are still doing research on this area, mainly associated with the kelp forest and blue carbon sequestration of CO2.
Yes, we are doing that type of research and other aspects because we are going to insist on that, but not for now. First, the terrestrial part.
The Process of Creating a National Park
The process of transforming private land into a national park requires meticulous preparation. Rewilding Chile’s team is mapping habitats, documenting wildlife, developing trail systems, and planning essential infrastructure that will eventually serve park visitors while minimizing ecological impact. This multi-year endeavor follows the successful model used throughout the Route of Parks, where private conservation initiatives ultimately become permanent public protected areas.
Gabi: The process of creating a park has different community aspects. So they have to do an indigenous consult first, and then a citizen open consult. And then demarcate the park. So that is a long process. It will take around three months. And then, we’re hoping to have the park by the end of this year.
Our first plan was to have the park open by March 2026, by the end of this government period, but this government wants to do it quicker. It’s a good idea. It’s a good thing. But that puts us in a position that we are going to be working inside the park, in order to develop all the infrastructure, because the compromise of the foundation is to donate a completely functional park, not only the land.
We are also going to invest in making better trails from here, what we just did, but also all the way to Cape Forward, which is a very difficult trek now. So it’ll take you to do this from where we started to Cape forward and back — five days.
Brooke: Wow.
Gabi: If you’re fast. So development, also camping areas, rangers stations, an entrance, an interpretive center, all of that. So we’re going to be working the next two years on that too, after the park is already accepted.
Brooke: How exciting. Watching the birth of a park.
The lighthouse ahead of us symbolizes not just safe passage through dangerous waters, but a beacon of hope for a new kind of relationship between humans and the wild places we depend on. As Gabi leads us toward the historic structure, we’re about to discover how the terrestrial protection we’ve been discussing connects to an even greater challenge—the conservation of the marine world that surrounds us.
Exploring the Lighthouse – A Beacon of Hope
[Entering the lighthouse audio]
We’ve arrived at the lighthouse and I’m blown away by what I see. Back in town, Gabi and other artists turned an old slaughterhouse into a beautiful museum detailing the history of the region. Here, they’re turning this old, weather building into a museum showing the region’s role in the whaling industry. They even have fully intact humpback whale skeleton lying in the middle of the room, waiting to be hung from the ceiling once the rafters are strong enough to bear the massive frame.
We wander room after room, marveling at ship reconstructions from indigenous and European sailors, sculptures of people from the past who had an impact on developing the region, and photo after photo showing the evolution and collapse of the whaling industry in the Magellan Strait.
I reached the back of the half-restored building and climbed the narrow, winding staircase to the lighthouse’s lantern room. Overlooking the entire Magellan Strait, the connection between land and sea becomes impossible to ignore. Below us, a kelp forest sways in the clear waters of the strait. These underwater forests serve as crucial carbon sinks and nurseries for marine life.
Marine Protection in Chile
Chile has already taken bold steps in marine conservation. The country has protected over 43% of its exclusive economic zone – an area of approximately 1.5 million square kilometers – making it one of the world leaders in marine protection. In 2023, Chile reorganized its protected areas system through the creation of SBAP (Biodiversity and Protected Areas Service), bringing marine and terrestrial protection under the same administrative umbrella – recognizing that these ecosystems don’t exist in isolation, with land affecting sea and vice versa. The massive Juan Fernández and Nazca-Desventuradas marine parks demonstrate Chile’s commitment to ocean conservation, but most of these protected areas are far offshore rather than along the coastal areas where human activities and ecosystems most intensely interact.
Yet significant challenges remain. The salmon farming industry, Chile’s second-largest export sector providing thousands of jobs and economic stability to many communities, is looking to expand southward from its established operations in Chiloé. While economically vital, intensive salmon aquaculture brings environmental challenges including nutrient pollution, antibiotic use, and escaped fish competing with native species. This creates a complex balancing act between economic development and ecosystem health. The pressure on marine resources is intense, and finding common ground between conservation and industry requires thoughtful planning.
Despite these challenges, there’s reason for hope. Rewilding Chile recently hired its first Marine Program Director, signaling a serious commitment to ocean conservation. The vision? To connect and protect the rich ecosystems along Chile’s southern coast, increasing Chilean Patagonia’s marine protected areas from 1% to 10%.
Gabi: This is the whole Route of Parks that the foundation has been creating. And so, the projection is to now start focusing on the marine conservation aspect. So we’re thinking the same national parks route, but with a marine national parks route that could connect all ecosystems of southern Chile.
As if to underscore the importance of marine protection, our return journey provides an unexpected encounter. First, we spot whale spouts in the distance. Then, as we’re tracking them, a pod of dolphins appears, turning our zodiac ride into an impromptu wildlife-watching expedition.
Watching these dolphins play in waters that have carried ships for centuries, I’m struck by the deeper significance of this moment. The Magellan Strait has long been a highway for human ambition – but it’s also a vital artery of life, where nutrients and creatures flow between two oceans, sustaining everything from microscopic krill to the great whales we glimpsed earlier. Protecting these waters means preserving one of Earth’s great ecological crossroads.
Final Thoughts & Looking Ahead
As the sun sets over Punta Arenas, painting the Magellan Strait in shades of gold, I reflect on the layers of history in this landscape. For centuries, this strait has been a beacon of human ambition – a crucial shipping route, a source of wealth from whaling and fishing, a gateway to Antarctica.
Now, with the creation of Cape Froward National Park, we’re writing a new chapter in that story – one that recognizes the inseparable connection between land and sea, between human communities and natural ecosystems. The challenges ahead remain significant: balancing conservation with local livelihoods, protecting marine ecosystems in the face of industrial pressure, ensuring that indigenous communities benefit from and help guide conservation efforts.
But watching Gabi work, seeing her move seamlessly between scientific discussions about kelp forests and sensitive negotiations with local communities, I’m reminded of how conservation in the 21st century encompasses more than pristine wilderness preservation. Conservation today reimagines our relationship with nature in ways that benefit both human communities and wildlife.
Next Time
Next time on Rewildology, we’ll move north to Chile’s Lake District to explore the often-overlooked wetland ecosystems that form the northern gateway to the Route of Parks. We’ll join the dedicated team at Fundación Legado Chile in their quest to protect the endangered river otter—the elusive huillín—and discover why these critical wetlands may hold the key to Chile’s environmental future. It’s a story of conservation happening not in remote wilderness, but right where people and nature intersect every day.
Until then, I’m Brooke Mitchell, and this has been another adventure on the Route of Parks. Remember, in a world where the connections between land and sea, between human communities and wild nature, are increasingly under threat, places like Cape Froward remind us that a different future is possible.
Join Project Patagonia
Before I go, I want to invite you to become part of something bigger than just this podcast. This series is actually one pillar of a larger initiative called Rewildology’s Project Patagonia – where conservation truly meets adventure.
Project Patagonia is built on three key elements: Listen, Experience, and Protect.
You’re already participating in the first pillar by listening to this podcast series. Over the next eight episodes, we’ll journey together through the remarkable Route of Parks of Patagonia, uncovering stories of conservation challenges and triumphs.
But if you’re inspired to go deeper, you can join us in the field for the second pillar – Experience. In April 2026, I’ll be leading a small group of just ten people on an unforgettable expedition to track pumas and explore the majestic mountains of Torres del Paine National Park. This intimate adventure includes expert-led puma tracking, meetings with conservation researchers, hiking through breathtaking landscapes, and even kayaking to the magnificent Grey Glacier. You’ll literally follow in the footsteps of the stories you’re hearing in this podcast.
The third pillar – Protect – is where your passion can translate into direct conservation impact. Through our partnership with Panthera, the global wild cat conservation organization, your support helps fund crucial work to protect pumas and their habitats throughout Patagonia. Your donations help bridge divides between fragmented habitats, develop solutions for human-wildlife conflict, implement wildlife corridors, and support cutting-edge research.
Whether you choose to listen to this series, join our expedition, make a donation, or all three – you become part of a community dedicated to preserving one of Earth’s most spectacular regions.
To learn more about Project Patagonia and how you can get involved, visit rewildology.com/projectpatagonia. Together, we can ensure that the Route of Parks of Patagonia continues to thrive for generations to come.
