MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Czechs helping to reforest Torres del Paine devastated area

Chile's Forestry Corporation, Conaf is reforesting the 15.000 hectares from the world famous Torres del Paine national park in Chilean Pataogonia which were devastated by fire in February 2005, according to Punta Arenas La Prensa Austral.

The Czech Republic has voluntarily joined in the task with experts, funds and equipments. The forest fire was involuntarily caused by a young Czech citizen camping at the time in the park. The Czech government helped finance the perimeter of the area to be reforested besides installing a monitoring system and the tree nurseries together with the back up offices and facilities for working staff. The agreement was reached in 2006 and extends until 2010 when 120.000 trees are expected to have been planted but also nurtured, protected with full time monitoring. The area involved covers 1.500 hectares. Czech forestry experts travel regularly to Torres del Paine and have elaborated a digital charter of the area with a file for each plant and how it is evolving. The Czech contribution is estimated in half a million US dollars.