Stories of Community Impact: Friends of Cochamó and the Adventure Travel Conservation Fund

The stunning landscapes of the Cochamó Valley attract tens of thousands of hikers, kayakers, birders, and climbers annually. Known for 1,000 meter high walls of granite, white sand beaches, and rainforests with old-growth trees dating more than 3,000 years old, the region is a boundless playground for nature enthusiasts:

The small town Cochamó is the gateway to this wilderness, where a single main trail serves as the access point to the Cochamó Valley. Originally built in 1900, the trail was officially maintained for only three years. Now, when critical maintenance is necessary, the local community steps in. Because the valley is not a national park – it is comprised mostly of private land with access granted for recreational use – there is no strategy, funding, or clear responsibility for managing the infrastructure. As a result, the trail into the valley is not managed by any one authority. Instead, its upkeep – as well as waste management, visitor outreach, search and rescue, and more – is all carried out on an informal volunteer basis.

Further stretching resources, as tourism grows in the region, the impacts on local communities have included many of the economic challenges associated with seasonality. These include high demand for guides and arrieros, meals, and accommodations only during half the year. Those making a living in tourism need to earn enough during the busy season to sustain the community year round. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when travel came to an abrupt halt, the region experienced the sudden economic loss of tourism dollars and a workforce without work.

It is in this context that the Adventure Travel Conservation Fund (ATCF) is pleased to report that as a result of ATCF funding supported by members, the Sendero Cochamó Project, in collaboration with the Friends of Cochamó, not only achieved its intended goals but ignited a series of unforeseen positive impacts within the community. The endeavor has exceeded expectations to both preserve the environment and uplift the livelihoods of the local community.

A Season of Progress

The nonprofit Friends of Cochamó works to protect and conserve the natural and cultural resources of the Cochamó Valley in the Los Lagos region of southern Chile, primarily by mitigating the impacts of visitation. The main trail that provides all access to the valley and lacks an official trail crew needed significant repair to help sustain the businesses that depend upon visitors accessing the region. 

The Sendero Cochamó project enabled Friends of Cochamó to repair the long overdue work to refurbish critical sections of the trail to Cochamó, provide wages to the invaluable workforce that keeps Cochamó afloat, and protect the unique and vibrant arriero culture by helping them recover wages lost to COVID-19 and allow them to maintain their businesses.

Trail and Community Transformation

The project’s success was driven by the passion and dedication of the team, which went beyond even their own projections. A total of 179 worker days were completed, surpassing the anticipated 153 days. This achievement, however, led to a budgetary shortfall due to added labor costs. Undeterred by any barrier, the organization found themselves in a position where the local community rallied together. In recognizing the potential for extended impact, they raised additional funds from the Organizacíon Valle Cochamó, La Agrupacíon de Arrieros, and La Municipalidad de Cochamó. In total, the arrieros built a very impressive 805 linear meters of boardwalks, a 5-meter long bridge, a 15-meter guardrail, and 845 linear meters of sustainable trail.

Beyond the tangible trail improvements, the Sendero Cochamó Project’s influence has reached deeper into the community. With travel and tourism deeply affected by the pandemic, this initiative provided an economic lifeline. While such conservation maintenance typically relies on the willingness of arrieros to volunteer their time, this project added more than $10,000 into the local community through wages for trail conservation work. This financial incentive attracted new individuals to engage in conservation efforts, enriching the community’s pool of dedicated stewards. According to the team on the ground, the funds helped galvanize support, spurred the arrieros and the Organización Valle Cochamó in Cochamó to raise more money, and inspired the next generation of conservationists to continue this work in the future.

Continuing Conservation 

The triumph of the Sendero Cochamó Project serves as an inspiration for conservation efforts that extend beyond ecological boundaries. This project tells the story of the potential impact of supporting the Adventure Travel Conservation Fund. Financial support enables the ATCF and its members to fund this change within the international tourism community. It has proven that the synergy between environmental conservation and community empowerment is a formula for success. The project and the ATCF aim to have a positive impact on the landscape, and the people who live there, which underscores the transformative potential of collaboration and shared purpose. 

Cochamó’s story is one of evolution, resilience, and unity. The Adventure Travel Conservation Fund enters a season of unity and is preparing for their annual conservation auction bringing impactful travel-related products to a consumer audience and supporting projects along the way. The auction enables the ATCF to deliver on conservation efforts such as the Sendero Cochamó Project and is only possible with your help. 

Please consider donating an item to the annual travel conservation auction, which launches on 27 September, World Tourism Day, and continue to support work like the Sendero Cochamó Project. As the trail winds through the wilderness and the community rallies around a shared cause, the project and the ATCF stand as a testament to the enduring connection between nature, culture, and the indomitable spirit of community-driven change.

About the Adventure Travel Conservation Fund

ATCF is a member-based, non-profit organization that promotes wildlife and cultural preservation in adventure destinations around the world through small, high-impact grants and other strategies. They were recently named non-profit of the month by Wanderful and have awarded more than $500,000 in grants to international conservation projects. The ATTA helped to launch the ATCF in 2016 alongside other founding members REI, Eagle Creek, ExOfficio, and Uncruise. More than 75 members have joined, with companies such as MiiR, Eagle Creek, REI Adventures, Backroads, North Face, Toad & Co, and Grayl providing a higher level of support. To learn more about ATCF and get involved, visit https://adventuretravelconservationfund.org/.