What is a Chilean conservation easement?

A conservation easement is a Chilean legal tool that consists of the power to conserve the natural environment of a property or of certain attributes, or functions thereof, and is granted through a contract between the owner of a property and the beneficiary of the conservation easement; it establishes prohibitions, limitations and actions that guarantee the conservation of private lands through investment.

The conservation easement prohibits industrial uses, including, but not limited to the felling of forests, construction of perimeter fences, entry of domestic animals, campfires, improper management of waste, and modification of water courses.

Wildland Ecobenefit Conservancy Foundation (WEConserv)is a non-profit foundation focused on the enforcement of conservation easement to protect the biodiversity and ecosystems of such private lands in the long term, while adding value to the people of local communities and the world.

This conservation easement empowers all people who have an interest in conservation of the environment but who do not have the opportunity to do so. Conservation easement encourages the expansion of protected areas in Chile, and embodies the collective aspiration of the community, since it should not be based exclusively on the State and nonprofits.

Through this legal mechanism we promote the awareness and changing attitude of the population towards the promotion of sustainability, efficient use of resources, protection of biodiversity, reducing the effects of climate change, and conserving ecosystems. Through investment of many individuals we have developed a wide network of private parks that serve to protect nature for future generations.