Comité Nacional Pro-Defensa de la Fauna y Flora (CODEFF)
At its founding in 1968 by activist lawyer, Godofredo Stutzin, and other prominent professionals and scientists, CODEFF represented Chile’s first non-governmental environmental organization. Since then, the organization has continued to safeguard Chile’s biodiversity and natural resources with a commitment to environmental education, community involvement and the conservation and analysis of protected areas. Throughout its trajectory, the organization now oversees 6 major protected regions, provides educational opportunities to schools, manages a wildlife rehabilitation center and welcomes volunteers to provide their support in an array of opportunities, with the possibility of being democratically inducted into the organization’s directory.
***Individuals, Communities, Organizations, Government Agencies
Fundación Sendero de Chile
Founded as an initiative to contribute to public environmental education, Fundación Sendero de Chile involves people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds in the exploration of Chilean landscapes through trail and hiking groups, with other additional outdoor activities. By promoting community involvement and inclusivity, the foundation aims to instill feelings of belonging, environmental responsibility and admiration within those who take part in its outdoor programs. The organization hosts educational speakers, promotes ecotourism in collaboration with local businesses and has a variety of resources for those interested in trying out hiking and trekking activities on their own.
***Individuals, Communities
CETSUR
Rooted in the La AraucnÃa region, CETSUR is a civil society organization, actively working on the formation and structuring of sustainable agriculture in southern Chilean towns. CETSUR’s core values are based on the principles of agroecology and its holistic approach to farming, where both the environment and society are developed. CETSUR primarily works on the development of environmentally responsible agricultural practices in southern Chile, with the hope that people establish better, healthier relationships with food and the environment. Building food sovereignty and increasing food security in small rural communities is also a pressing priority to CETSUR as it ensures the development of these communities and provides a sense of empowerment.
***Individuals, Communities, Agroecology, Sustainability, Familiar Agriculture
Adapt Chile
Adapt Chile is a leading NGO that seeks to promote effective, collaboration and comprehensive actions from different sectors of governance, particularly non-state actors and sub-national levels, in an effort to mitigate the impacts of climate change. The mission of Adapt Chile is to promote the importance of considering climate change in decision-making at the local level, in order to contribute to strengthening local responses to the changing environment. Adapt Chile works on numerous projects such as sustainable development research, strengthening the work of the Chilean Network of Municipalities against Climate Change, and improving the capacities of national governments in Latin America for decision-making and implementation of climate policies based on scientific evidence.
***Governments
Chile Desarrollo Sostenible
Chile Desarrollo Sostenible is an organization that works to promote sustainable development in Chile via the publication of articles online about regional developments in the field, expert analysis, debate, and also innovative technologies meant to facilitate Chile’s transition to sustainability. The organization serves to condense sophisticated policy and technology concepts into articles which can be interpreted by a wide audience in Chile. CDS also serves to educate Chileans about the business and political figures in charge of developing sustainable policy in Chile in an effort to hold these individuals accountable for performing at a high level and making an impact.
***Communities, Individuals
Fundación Mar Adentro
Fundación Mar Adentro is an organization with a mission to conserve ecosystems and their biodiversity and develop replicable pedagogical initiatives that promote reflection, creativity and care for nature, through art and its intersection with other disciplines. They also work to carry out interdisciplinary and collaborative work in various regions of Chile, integrating sensitivities and knowledge related to the territory, to understand the interrelation of all the elements of nature. Since their founding in 2011, they have been actively involved in philanthropic activities that positively impact people’s quality of life. Fundación Mar Adentro also works to protect ecosystems in the Andean Araucania area and advocate for the Chilean government to continue with an active agenda on the climate crisis.
***Communities, Governments
Fundación Terram
Since their founding in 1997, Fundacion Terram’s mission has been to advocate for a country development model based on: democracy, transparency, respect for rights, environmental justice, protection of nature and care for the environment. The model they have in place serves their goal of stopping the deterioration of the planet and guiding development, which is capable of satisfying the needs of present generations without compromising the right of future generations to enjoy higher levels of well-being. Much of their work is focused on climate change, water, biodiversity conservation, pollution mitigation, land use planning, and more.
***Communities, Government, Individuals
Puelo Patagonia
Puelo Patagonia is a nonprofit that works to contribute to the conservation of the natural, cultural and landscape heritage of the Cochamo commune, favoring responsible and comprehensive development for its communities. They focus on carrying out work to enhance the opportunity to conserve Cochamo’s ecosystems, reserve its waters for future generations, and maintain the traditions and culture of the commune, through the empowerment of its community. Much of their work is dedicated to conserving and protecting the commune of Cochamo through responsible development and increasing the standards of land protection.
***Communities, Individuals
Red de Acción por los Derechos Ambientales (RADA)
Red de Acción por los Derechos Ambientales (RADA) was founded in 2007 as an organization whose main priority is to defend the environment as a human right through educating the public on the environment, supporting communities immersed in socio-economic conflicts, and influencing public policy. They are committed to defending the environment as well as the socio-environmental rights of the indiginous Mapuche tribe as well as non-Mapuche communities within the Araucania region.
***Communities, Individuals
Fundación Cuidemos ParaÃsos
Fundación Cuidemos ParaÃsos (Let’s Take Care of Paradises Foundation) is a young NGO from the AraucanÃa region of Chile that is focused on the conservation and restoration of native forests in Southern Chile. The foundation was established in 2021 by a group of five nature-loving friends who combined their knowledge and experience with ecological regeneration to launch this interdisciplinary initiative. Chile contains some of the most biodiverse environments in the world with its native forests, and this foundation seeks to reverse the damage that has been done to these forests by rebuilding human-environment connections. In two short years, the NGO has already made progress with numerous projects related to ecology, education, art, and ancestry that bring people closer to nature, enabling them to help the regeneration mission. The foundation also works with numerous other Chilean conservation organizations and Indigenous groups to put on amazing events that incorporate a variety of important perspectives.
Network of Bird and Wildlife Observers of Chile
Red de Observadores de Aves y Vida Silvestre de Chile (Network of Bird and Wildlife Observers of Chile) or ROC for short is a prominent NGO whose work is centered around tracking and protecting Chile’s many vital bird species. Created in 2009 by a friend group of passionate bird watchers, the network has expanded significantly and is now run by the work of hundreds of volunteers supported by hundreds of donors. The ROC’s strong network has had a significant impact on conservation efforts in Chile, as they have located breeding sites, mapped out migratory routes, and tracked the populations of numerous different endangered species. The network encompasses more than just volunteers, as the ROC regularly partners with different conservation organizations for projects in the field and for events and educational experiences that bring thousands of people into the bird conservation space.
National Organizations
