“We are proud as Magellanic that the modification of Supreme Decree (DS) 25, published in the Official Gazette at the end of last year, allows the development of a management plan to regulate the intervention that is carried out in peatland ecosystems to extract Sphagnum moss, ”said the Regional Ministerial Secretary for Agriculture of the Magallanes and Chilean Antarctic region, Alfonso Roux.

He explained that the above has been the result of the vision that the Regional Government had to support an investigation by INIA Kampenaike through a FONDEMA financing program of $ 476.913.034, developed between 2010 called “Environmental, legal and commercial bases for the sustainable development of peatlands ”and the results of which enabled the DS to protect and conserve this plant resource, which, together with peat, represents a great reservoir of CO2 and fresh water for humanity.

The DS is based on the technical-scientific knowledge of Sphagnum moss, which in 2009 was non-existent in the country and which, thanks to the research carried out in the region by the Institute of Agricultural Research, INIA Kampenaike of the Ministry of Agriculture, which has been in place for 50 years Researching for the development of the region, he managed to deliver the technical and legal foundations to prepare this decree that allows the conservation and sustainable exploitation of the Moss Sphagnum resource.

“We must be proud as INIA researchers because we are generating a strong impact. This decree was a longing that we had since 1995, but it took shape in 2017 and came into force in August 2019, ”said Erwin Domínguez, professional in charge of the investigation that laid the foundations of DS 25.

The research lasted around five years and worked in an articulated way with the seremi of Agriculture, different services, universities, foundations, etc., on issues as crucial as in the legal field, since Sphagnum moss was not recognized as a silvoagropecuario resource therefore, for the law there was no de facto link with the Ministry of Agriculture.

This SD has a national impact, allowing the interaction of academia, social organizations and public institutions in four regions of Chile around Sphagnum moss and its ecosystem, peatlands. The publication of the book "Ecosystem Functions and Services of Peatlands in Magallanes", where more than 22 regional, national and international researchers participated, is just a sample of all the effort and joint work carried out.

“For INIA this marks a precedent and becomes a milestone that we will collect for our next 50 years, since it is the first time that one of our investigations ends up being the basis for the generation of regulations, which will otherwise serve to conserve one of the most precious resources to sustain life on earth such as water, "said INIA Kampenaike director Francisco Sales.
The impact

This DS will regulate 785.000 hectares, of which 40% is located on the Isla Grande de Chiloé estimated at 335.000 hectares; Aysén 100.000 ha and Magallanes with 300.000 ha. It is estimated that approximately 25 thousand temporary harvester workers will benefit from the regulations that will regulate their activity.

A great step for the conservation of this plant resource that, together with peat, represents a great reservoir of CO2 and fresh water for humanity.