Hello friends of Bio Bio Expeditions!
Damara here - just wanting to share some information with you about the threats facing the mighty rivers of Patagonia (including our beloved Futaleufu). If you traveled to the Futa with us last winter you may remember the environmental letter I encouraged everyone to sign? Well, at the end of the season, I sent off more than 60 letters to the President of Chile - Michelle Bachelet. Two months later I received a formal response from the President's Cabinet thanking me (and all of you) for our concern and assuring me that our concerns would be considered and sent through the proper channels. Later in the summer I received another letter from the President's cabinet (see photo) also reassuring me that any hydro or mining projects on the Futaleufu would go under rigorous study first and that our comments would be considered. Both were very formal letters, no promises, but I was quite pleased and impressed to have received a response. So, thank you to all who helped me and signed a letter!!!
In other news, here are two websites you can click on to do your part to save the beautiful, mighty rivers and forests of Patagonia. Both the Pascua and Baker rivers, south of Futaleufu, are very threatened right now. The power transmission lines they would have to build to transport power from these massive dams would involve clearcutting a 400 foot wide swath (football field size) through pristine forest for thousands of miles. You can read more about it, and send comments just with the click of a mouse, at the following websites:
http://www.savebiogems.org/patagonia/
and
http://www.internationalrivers.org/en/latin-america/patagonia
If you loved it down there as much as we do, please take a moment to read about the issues and take action! If you haven't yet traveled to Patagonia, now's the time! Lets show the Chilean government that tourism and adventure travel is a better alternative for Patagonia than destructive mines and dams. Thanks everyone and hope you have a very Happy Thanksgiving!
Love, Damara
