About 1200 clicks (kilometers) south of the gleaming, modern and spotlessly clean boulevards of Santiago, lies Chile’s Central Patagonia. An incredibly diverse region, this land of Pacific Ocean, and the towering Andes, enjoys 14 different eco systems ranging from coastal jungle to sub alpine and alpine all crammed into just tens of miles between sea level and 20,000 foot elevations. Population is sparse. Folks are poor, but every tiny two or three hectare (a hectare is about 2.5 acres) farm is immaculate, each little farm home sparkling with paint and whitewash. Some of us in America could well learn the pride of property ownership from the Chileans. There is, for all intents and purposes, only one road heading south to the southern Patagonia and Antarctica, yet another 3000 plus clicks south.
Chiles coast line is an astonishing 3000 plus miles of pacific, a bit over 4500 kilometers, yet the country is only 87 miles wide at it’s widest point.
Ranches of the West was honored to be chosen to consult to one of Chile’s largest ranches, or fundos. The Ranch is located about two hours south of Puerto Monte, embarkation point for a two hour ferry ride that shuttles around huge mountains, really mere foothills of the mighty Andes, saving days of driving time if southbound.
The 200,000 give or take acres of the Ranch has as it’s Western boundary about 17 miles of the Pacific. It’s Eastern boundary is three approximate 22,000 foot volcanoes. Absolutely remarkable! Not less than ten rivers sourced, and mouthed on the Ranch. Where they poured into the Pacific, most were larger than the Missouri River here in the Western US. ROW was afforded the privilege and responsibility to compile a complete integrated business plan for the owners, among Chile’s elite. In the course of assembling the highly detailed 400 plus page document, various areas of the Ranch were explored by ATV, foot and horseback. Ranch hands cut miles of machete trails through thick jungle to guide us salmon, trout, and steel head rivers that likely had not seen a human, much less a fly rod. 
Row’s plan for the owners entailed in person consultation with, and advice to the highest levels of the Chilean government on United States Conservation Easement structures, many of which, it is our understanding, were subsequently adopted by the Interior Ministry. The plan also integrated mineral extraction, hydroelectric generation, resource enhancement, recreation revenue planning, agriculture enhancement, vacation lodging, conservation easement strategy, finance, operational structures. Detailed land use maps included GPS mapping of remote rivers and other features in conjunction with the highly competent Canyon Breeze GIS folks from Fort Collins Colorado, and a host of other fascinating activities and investigations, including carbon bonding models. Carbon bonding, in quick synopsis, is a plan under which polluters from around the world buy carbon credits from the World Bank, and others, to atone for pollution. The funds are channeled world wide to owners of forest lands with high CO2 transpiration rates (the conversion of CO2 to oxygen), in return for no timbering covenants. Delicias, among its countless other attributes, was blessed with over 7,000 acres of Aleryse trees, a huge conifer equivalent to our Redwoods.
The undertaking for the Ranch was both a very special treat, and an enormous challenge for ROW, and an engagement in which we take great pride. We met many fine, fine people, from the poorest to among the wealthiest of Chileans. Chile is a great country that views the US as it’s strongest model and ally. Using the business plan to assist, the owners sold the Ranch in 2007. 
Photos by Reid L Rosenthal Copyright 2008