Reserve Punta Negra

A private natural reserve, located 200 km. South of Santiago in the valley of El Manzano, a place with beautifully preserved forests and a flora and fauna that is unique this far North in Chile. that appears in the mountains after snowfall.


The reserve is unique because of its particular ecology, bio-diversity, flora and fauna. The most important tree species are Patagonian Oak, Chilean Myrtle, Cordilleran Cypress, Soapbark, Chilean Litre, Boldo, Chilean Acorn, Dombey´s Beech, Winter´s Bark, Chilean Laurel, Chilean Wineberry, Giant Rhubarb, Puya Chilensis and many others. The fauna is also very diverse, with Foxes, Wild Boar, Puma, Black-Chested Buzzard Eagle, Red Backed Hawk, Great Horned Owl, Burrowing Owl, Magallanic Woodpeckers, a range of smaller birds and one of the largest colonies in Chile of Burrowing Parrots comes to feed at the reserve.


The forests are the last vestiges that are left from the Pleistocene and were preserved due to the horseshoe-shaped valley, where clouds are trapped and precipitate as they rise to leave the valley. The hills and forests function as a huge sponge and give origen to fresh water springs that feed three streams that cross the reserve: El Encanto, Vasquez and Los Capados. These three streams together form the river “El Manzano”, which flows into the Teno River.

Nature in La Montaña de Teno

Flora

Puya chilensis is an emblematic plant because of its abundant presence on the north-facing hills and its particular color and shape. The South-facing side of the hills however are covered with Patagonian Oak, Dombey´s Beech, Chilean Citronella tree, a protected species that can only be found in the VI and VII region in Chile and many other trees, shrubs, bulbs and perennial plants. The state of conservation of the forests is far superior than anything than can be found this far North in Chile.

Fauna

Among the different bird species observed in the reserve, you can find the Condor, the Black Chested Buzzard Eagle, Burrowing Parrots and the large Chilean Pigeon. In the reserve we have had sightings of puma, yaca and wild boar, but mostly you will see rabbits, jack-rabbits and sometimes a fox.