Tamarugo Reforestation in the Atacama Desert

15 December, 2009 / Read time: 1 minute

In this video we can appreciate beautiful images of the Tambillo Forest, a tamarugo plantation located south of San Pedro de Atacama, on the way to the town of Toconao.

This native tree reserve was planted between 1971 and 1975 on the initiative of the Chilean Government's Production Development Corporation, with the purpose of preserving this species with unique abilities to grow in the salty sands of the Atacama Desert.

The presence of this forest has allowed local communities to prosper in livestock and agriculture, providing shade, shelter from the wind and collecting what little moisture there is in the air to nourish the soil. It is also home to different species of birds and mammals that take refuge in this place, making it a vital sector for biodiversity in the arid desert ecosystem.

Credits: National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO)