Conducting a feasibility study for Patagonia Sur Foundation - Spring

Team Members: Maria Sotero, Michael Dexter, Carita Chan, Ursula Fernández-Baca, Megan Fisher, Diego Flores, Michael Hanlon, Jenny Mager, Patricia Reis, Andrea Skinner, Desmond Tay, Justine Wang

This report evaluates the feasibility of using Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) as a climate mitigation and conservation strategy on privately protected lands in Chilean Patagonia.

The study combines environmental, technical, economic, and policy analysis to assess whether Patagonia Sur could develop a REDD project. The research included literature reviews, expert interviews, analysis of Chilean policy, GIS mapping, carbon-stock assessments, and economic modeling.

The analysis identified Melimoyu as the property with the greatest potential for a future REDD project because of its extensive forest cover and carbon stocks. However, the study concluded that a project was not feasible under the conditions at the time, primarily because the forests lacked a sufficiently demonstrated threat of deforestation or degradation and because projected costs outweighed potential carbon-credit revenues.

Rather than abandoning the opportunity, the report recommends that Patagonia Sur become “REDD-ready” by strengthening environmental data collection and monitoring, building institutional and community partnerships, and tracking evolving climate and conservation policies. These measures would support both a potential future REDD project and the organization’s broader conservation objectives.

Learn more about the MPA-ESP Capstone Workshop.