Field trip 1: Native plant production and silviculture for restoration

Native plant production and silviculture for restoration

March 26, 2026

organized by

This one-day field trip focuses on practical experiences in native forest restoration and silvicultural management in the Coyhaique area. The itinerary includes multiple field stations, allowing participants to observe and discuss different restoration approaches, management histories, and ecological outcomes across contrasting forest contexts.

The visit begins at Fundación Reforestemos Nursery, where participants will learn about native plant production for ecological restoration, including species selection, propagation techniques, and nursery management practices relevant to Patagonia.

**Producing native plants for large-scale forest restoration - Fundación Reforestemos Nursery**

Subsequently, the field trip continues to several forest sites within the Coyhaique National Reserve and surrounding areas, where participants will visit a sequence of restoration and management stations.

**Coyhaique National Reserve: Forest Landscape and Management Context**

These include sites where native lenga (Nothofagus pumilio) and ñire (Nothofagus antarctica) forests have been released from exotic plantations, areas under active restoration with native species, and long-term reforestation trials established in the mid-1990s. Additional stations showcase early development of lenga plantations under canopy cover and in clear-cut conditions, as well as mixed plantations of lenga and Douglas-fir under different silvicultural designs.

**Native Species Reforestation Trial under Active Restoration**

**Silvicultural Interventions in Exotic Plantations for Native Forest Recovery**

Throughout the day, local professionals, scientists, and practitioners from regional institutions will guide the visits, providing on-site explanations and discussing management objectives, methods, challenges, and lessons learned. Activities will be conducted in English and Spanish, with translation support available.

**José Luis Pérez, Acting Provincial Head, CONAF - Coyhaique Province**

The field trip offers participants the opportunity to engage directly with real-world restoration and forest management cases, illustrating both managed and unmanaged forest conditions across the Aysén Region.

The table below outlines the sequence of field trip stops included in this one-day itinerary.

Location: Reforestemos Nursery and Coyhaique National Reserve

Stop 1: Native Plant Production for Restoration: Guided Visit to Fundación Reforestemos Nursery

Sponsors: Fundación Reforestemos