Research
What do we do in Vodudahue?
We seek to lay the foundations for developing an integrated conservation strategy and a comprehensive program of activities focused on the area’s biodiversity, emphasizing its appreciation and protection. Our goal is to showcase Vodudahue’s potential and turn it into a globally relevant research hub.
Why do we do it?
Our aim is to generate knowledge and methodologies to inform planning in conservation, restoration, education, horticulture, and other activities. We are interested in translating knowledge into formats that can be shared across different levels, serving as a basis for future research and for experiences with students, visitors, and the wider community.
Our Scientists
At Vodudahue, science is strengthened through partnerships with researchers from a range of national and international academic institutions. This collaborative work enriches our territory with high-quality scientific knowledge, integrating the experience of established teams with the enthusiasm and talent of new generations.
Thanks to this synergy, Vodudahue becomes an open natural laboratory, where unprecedented data are generated on flora, fauna, fungi, lichens, and ecosystem dynamics of the Comau Fjord. Each sampling effort, every record, and every thesis conducted in the field becomes a concrete contribution to understanding and protecting one of the country’s most unique territories.
We have brought together a multidisciplinary team of scientists and collaborators to carry out a comprehensive biological inventory of Vodudahue, focusing on vascular plants, bryophytes, lichens, fungi, birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and invertebrates. In addition, in collaboration with the Austral University of Chile, studies have been developed across different faculties, mainly focused on sound heritage research, soil and vegetation analysis, and glaciology. We also run a photomonitoring program that enables the study of the reserve’s wildlife and provides insights into species interactions within Vodudahue.
We are developing a native planting program to restore degraded areas of the reserve, with a priority focus on the restoration of alerce (Fitzroya cupressoides). At the same time, we are advancing in the control of Ulex europaeus (gorse), an invasive species that threatens natural regeneration. Our goal is to ensure that Vodudahue’s forests strengthen and evolve into resilient and biodiverse ecosystems.
The reserve’s nursery is active and constantly expanding, with a strong focus on the production of alerce, safeguarding Vodudahue’s local genetics. We are currently advancing in the propagation of key native species, the development of germination protocols, and the consolidation of a space that supports both the restoration of the reserve and the long-term conservation of native flora.
The reserve has become established as a formative space through student internships, educational workshops, and the development of the Aula Viva project, which brings science and conservation closer to school and university communities. These initiatives aim to inspire new generations to appreciate biodiversity and to recognize the importance of protecting the native forests of southern Chile.
We maintain strong ties with leading international partners such as the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Rainforest Concern-UK, and the Knepp Rewilding project (UK). At the local level, we promote the Alliance for the Fjord, a joint effort with communities and regional stakeholders to ensure sustainable waste management in the fjord, thereby strengthening the protection of the ecosystems surrounding Vodudahue.
Vodudahue Species Catalog
One of the main objectives has been to start long-term research on the biodiversity of the Vodudahue Reserve, recording species in different environments with the aim of creating an initial list or checklist, and eventually prioritizing sub-areas for conservation and restoration.
Click on the catalog images to learn what we have found so far.
Birds
Mammals
Amphibians
Plants
Lichens
Fungi
Invertebrates
Reptiles
Bryophytes
