Climate Curve

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Project Summary / Description:

Campus Naturaleza (CN) is a visionary and pioneering initiative that brings together biodiversity conservation, ecosystem restoration, education, and human wellbeing.
Led by the University of Concepción—the third oldest university in Chile and the first to be founded outside the capital—Campus Naturaleza is a flagship institutional project encompassing 186 hectares of land adjacent to the university campus in the city of Concepción. Its mission is to conserve and restore native terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems while actively contributing to human wellbeing.
The project provides a unique green space for recreation, environmental education, and public engagement with Chile’s natural heritage, located just minutes from the city centre. It offers easy access for all people to connect with nature, balance the demands of modern living, and appreciate the importance of protecting the planet’s natural environment.
Campus Naturaleza is built around five interdependent lines of action, all designed to reduce risks to human wellbeing and promote biodiversity conservation:
In situ conservation of existing biodiversity, protecting and carefully managing remaining fragments of globally important native forest and aquatic ecosystems close to the urban area.
Ex situ conservation, through the establishment of living collections of threatened Chilean species and ecosystems, laying the foundations for a future botanic garden. These collections will safeguard species from threatened ecosystems and preserve their genetic diversity.
Restoration of native ecosystems, by removing invasive alien species and supporting the recovery of native flora and fauna. This work will help re-establish key ecological processes and create more resilient, self-sustaining ecosystems better able to mitigate the impacts of climate change.
Creation of spaces for nature-based recreation and wellbeing, enabling people to connect with environments of high biocultural value and benefit from the proven therapeutic effects of time spent in nature.
 Education, science and culture, fostering learning and engagement from early childhood through to policymaking, and supporting Chile’s transition towards sustainable development.

How Project Affects Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions:

['Removes/stores GHGs (e.g., projects that capture, sequester, or otherwise enhance the "sinks" that accumulate and store GHGs)']

Impact on Underrepresented Groups:

Our project empowers underrepresented groups by promoting inclusive participation in conservation and nature‑based activities. Campus Naturaleza at the University of Concepción provides people from diverse backgrounds with opportunities to engage with the natural environment through education, community planting, and citizen science, fostering biocultural awareness and collective stewardship of local ecosystems.
Our team is intentionally diverse, comprising men and women, senior professionals with extensive experience, and recent university graduates. This structure supports intergenerational collaboration and creates career pathways for young people, including those from climate‑vulnerable communities. We specifically engage groups who may not traditionally feel comfortable accessing natural spaces, such as residents of lower-income areas, by involving them in community plantings and focus groups that inform project planning and decision-making. Participation is closely monitored to evaluate inclusivity and guide improvements.
The project has already reached schoolchildren and women’s groups from economically disadvantaged communities in Concepción, building knowledge, confidence, and a sense of belonging through hands-on involvement in nature and ecological restoration.