GENERAL BACKGROUND FOR KATALAPI PARK
GENERAL BACKGROUND FOR KATALAPI PARK
Katalapi Park is found within the Ecoregion of the Valdivian Temperate Rain Forest, which has a high degree of endemism. There has been much impact y destruction of forests in the modern world due to agriculture, cattle raising, wood for lumber harvest, and population expansion (see map). Regions where temperate forests are found are small. The Valdivian Forest is also small and highly threatened.
This evergreen forests are formed by especies with a high degree of endemism whose biology presents many unanswered questions. This ecosystem is sub-represented in the Chilean system of nationals parks and protected areas. Since Katalapi is found in the vecinity of Alerce Andino National Park and close to the sea level, it is a convenient protective area of the National Park.
In spite of many scientific publications on the Valdivian Ecoregion, there exists little information on the ecophysiology of the Chilean temperate forest, includind trees, ferns, mosses and lichens. There also exists the need of educating society with respect to this complex forest system to ensure its conservation.
At Katalapi, we attemp to help to solve these problems through cooperation with scientists and students from different universities, facilitating their field studies.
