Protected Areas and World Heritage Programme

IUCN Management Category II, IV and IX (National Park, Reserve and Biosphere Reserve)

Biogeographical Province 8.23.06/8.37.12 (Chilean Sclerophyll/Southern Andean)

Geographical Location The Fray Jorge National Park comprises the Fray Jorge, Talinay and Punta del Viento National Parks, situated in the IVth Region, the province of Limari, and the municipality of Ovalle; 450km north of Santiago and 110km south of La Serena. The park extends along the range of mountains forming the Cordillera de la Costa; 30°34'S, 71°11'W. Las Chinchillas is located approximately 200km away, 15km northeast of the village of Auco. It is situated in mountainous terrain shaped by tributaries of the river Auco. 71°06'W-31°30'S.

Date and History of Establishment Fray Jorge was declared a National Park for Tourism under Decree No. 728 of 29 March 1941 of the Ministry of Lands and Settlement. Modifications were made by Decrees 318 and 326 of 1 June 1967. It was accepted as a Biosphere Reserve in June 1977. Las Chinchillas was established as a reserve under Supreme Decree No. 153, 30 November 1983 and added to the Biosphere Reserve.

Area 14,074ha, Fray Jorge covers 9,959ha and Las Chinchillas 4,229ha.

Land Tenure State property. Las Chinchillas was private property until 1983 when it was acquired by the State.

Altitude 0-762m in Fray Jorge, 375-1,427m in Las Chinchillas

Physical Features The park is situated in the mountainous Andean coastal complex which extends between the River Elqui in the north to the Aconcagua in the south. There are two kinds of topography: coastal plains and mountainous hinterland. The coastal plains have terraces of marine and pluvio-marine origin. There are no permanent rivers or creeks in the park, but a few springs exist. Las Chinchillas is characterised by its broken topography with low hills cut by narrow streams. The soil is sand or near-sand, completely deficient in nitrogen with rocks and cretaceous sedimentation. Mean annual temperature is 15.5°C and rainfall 215mm at 375m above sea level. In Fray Jorge, the climate is of a modified desert type. The average monthly temperature is 14.4°C with a maximum of 18.6°C. South-westerly winds prevail except in the winter, when the wind blows from the north. As the moist sea breezes blow up over the coastal range, an almost continual cloud cover is formed over the peaks, accompanied by increased precipitation.

Climate No information

Vegetation The park is situated in the area bordering the scrub formations and semi-desert coastal steppes on the one side, and the tree and shrub formations of the Cordillera de la Costa in the Central Region, on the other. The most important feature of this National Park is the presence of the most northerly forest in Chile. The Fray Jorge forests are green "oases" surrounded by semi-arid lands; they have some features in common with the hygrophilous forests of the south (Valdiviano forest). The vegetation of the park (east to west) includes: a zone of semi-desert shrub formations with herbaceous species such as broom Gutierrezia paniculata, furze Chuquiraga ulicina, and shrubs such as the incense tree Flourensis thurifera, the puscana Proustia pungens, the palo negro Cassia stipulacea and guaiacum Porlieria chilensis; a zone with northern exposure containing Cactaceae, intermingled with varilla Adesmia angustifolia and palo negro; an inner-valley zone with a shrub association of varilla and broom; a wooded zone dominated by copses of olivillo Aextoxicon punctatum and arrayan macho Rhaphithamnus spinosa, and separated by areas of shrub and pasture vegetation such as romerollo Lythrum hyssopifolia, pasto salado Distichlis spicata, cuerno de cabra Haplopappus foliusus, berberry Berberis spp., bollén Kageneckia oblonga and palo blanco Fuchsia lycioides; and a coastal zone of varilla, puscana and cardén Puya chilensis.

Fauna The park shelters almost all the Mediterranean species typical of Chile. Among the great variety of birds are partridge Nothoprocta perdicaria, dove Zenaida auriculata, meadow lark Sturnella loyca, thrush Turdus falcklandii, goldfinch Diuca diuca, mockingbird Mimus thenca, thrush Curaeus curaeus, and the pigeon Columba araucana. There is little variety in the mammals, the most noteworthy being the fox Dusicyon culpaeus, the quique Galictis cuja and the chingue Conepatus chinga. Large numbers of rodents are found, but there are few Batrachia or other amphibia. Introduced exotic fauna of importance include the quail Lophortyx californica and the hare Lepus europaeus. The guanaco Lama guanicoe has become extinct in this region. The only known population of the chinchilla Chinchilla lanigera occurs in the area of Las Chinchillas, as well as degus Octodon degus, puma Felis concolor and pampas cat F. colocolo. Notable avifauna include tinamou Northoprocta perdicaria, Andean condor Vultur gryphus, harrier Circus cinereus, burrowing owl Speotyto cunicularia and meadowlark Sturnella loyca.

Cultural Heritage No information

Local Human Population No information

Visitors and Visitor Facilities The management plan detailed plans of the development of camping and picnic areas, hostelries, an education centre and tourist information. It is unknown whether these plans have been carried out.

Scientific Research and Facilities Priority will be given to research projects relating to management programmes for the park. Research priorities include study of the micro-climate, the vegetation, the fauna and the ecology in general; evolutionary study of the forest and its degradation; feasibility study of reintroducing species which previously existed in the region, such as the guanaco Lama guanicoe and the chinchilla Chinchilla lanigera ; study of plant succession; study of the natural regeneration of the desert area. No facilities in Fray Jorge Park, however there is good access into Las Chinchillas and adequate housing for five scientists although there are no laboratories.

Conservation Value No information

Conservation Management Total

A management plan was published in 1974 which sets out the objectives of the Fray Jorge National Park. It is unknown what conservation management techniques are currently employed.

None at present, but consideration is being given to the following management zones: inaccessible zone, primitive zone, zone for intensive use, zone for extensive use, zone for special use.

Management Constraints The park has remained in its natural state. There is no evidence of farming, intensive stock-raising or exploitation of the forest though there has been some introduction of livestock from adjacent land. However, in Las Chinchillas there has been excessive grazing, felling of trees and coal mining. Although the area is now protected, it is still eroded, grazing continues and there are national motor-routes and railways running through the territory.

Staff An administrator, a ranger and eight workmen

Budget For administration and control

Local Addresses

Guido Soto, Corporacion Nacional Forestal, IV-Region, Lincoyan 300, Los Vilos.

References

Arevalo, O. (1975). Parque Nacional Fray Jorge. Coquimbo, Chile, CONAF.

CONAF (1974). Management Plan for Fray Jorge National Park. Report No. 17. Project FAO/RLAT/TF 199, Santiago, Chile.

Follmann, G. and Weisser, P. Oasis de Neblina en el Norte de Chile. Offprint, Boletin de la U. de Chile Vol. 67, Santiago de Chile.

Giles, P.C. (1963). Flora con valor economico de la Provincia de Coquimbo. Edition Conorte.

Munoz, P.C. and Pisano, E. (1947). Estudio de la vegetacion y flora de los Parques nacionales Fray Jorge y Talinary. Agriculture Técnica VII, 2: 70-190.

Philippi, F. (1930). Una visita al bosque mas boreal de Chile. Boletin del Museo Nacional, 13: 96-105, Santiago de Chile.

Skottsberg, G. Apuntes de la flora y vegetacion de Fray Jorge. Coquimbo, Chile.

Date 10 June 1981, revised July 1986