By Elliott Casper (University of Vermont)
It was a sunny and gorgeous day in Tortel, a rare occurrence over the last 3 weeks, but it always seems to be sunny the day you leave. The Fjords were finally coming to an end whether we liked it or not. Most of us were quiet and reflecting on the last 3 weeks as we sat and waited for the bus to arrive. We would soon be heading back to Cochrane to work in the Tamango Reserve and Chacabuco Valley for the rest of the semester. Orlando, one of the guardaparques with whom we worked, had walked us over from his house to send us on our way. The bus finally arrived and we began to throw our bags into the back of the bus. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Orlando trying to sneak away. The man who taught me so much over the last few weeks was trying to leave without even saying goodbye.
“Orlando!” I yelled, and ran after him. “Orlando! Wait up!” I finally caught up to him and the big teddy bear turned around to face me. Tears were rolling down his face and naturally, tears began to run down mine. I gave him a big long hug and said, “Estoy triste salir, gracias por ensenarme todo.” It was a broken attempt to say I was sad to leave and to thank him for everything he had taught me. I tried to say more and tell him the phrase I had rehearsed over and over in my head but I just couldn’t find the words. He gave me a big hug and then a kiss on my cheek. I pulled away and he looked over at Eric and gave him a bear hug as well. He then grabbed both of us and squeezed us so hard I think my back cracked. With teary eyes he said, “Estan grande gauchos!!” (You guys are big gauchos!) I walked back toward the bus, hoping I would someday see my dear Chilean friend again.
I think this emotional moment summarizes my experience in the Fjords. As I sit and write this blog post, I wonder how I will remember “La Adventura en Patagonia!” Will I remember “Valle Esperanza”, or the day we made it over the pass? Maybe I’ll remember the time when Eric and I waded waste deep through an icy river to reach an unexplored valley with Felidor and Orlando. These experiences and opportunities are things I will never forget, but the thing I will associate most with the Fjords is the people. Orlando, Felidor, and the entire Round River group collectively created a powerful experience and bond that no one will ever forget. Together, we learned how to track Huemul deer, found incredibly beautiful bird species, stepped onto unexplored territory, and saw the Southern Ice Field.
Orlando and Felidore crossing a glacial river in Estero Orfhidro
Two nights before our emotional goodbye, we talked about future plans for CONAF (The Chilean Forest Service) and Round River Conservation Studies. We talked for over an hour about our adventures, what we found, how we could improve, and what was in store for next year. Our conversation meandered from insightful thoughts on our bond with nature to how we could better collect data on the endangered Huemul deer. During this conversation, Orlando and Felidor explained how important these three weeks had been for them. Our work caught the attention of CONAF and will hopefully lead to more focus on Bernardo O’Higgins National Park, home to the largest population of Huemul deer.
One of many meandering glacial rivers we crossed
As we sat and shared our thoughts for conservation on the park, something clicked for me. I felt like I finally understood the big concept of conservation. Conservation was something I thought I always knew, but there is more to it than I ever thought. Yes, it’s about saving endangered species, protecting land, promoting biodiversity, and all the other important things you learn in a textbook. However, the part that clicked for me in the Fjords—the chunk I was missing in my mind—was people. People are a huge part of conservation, just as big as the plants and animals. As people, we are a part of our environment and should unconditionally love it. We should inherently feel responsible for the environment and try to find our niche in the ecosystem.
When we first got to the Fjords and began our adventure, Orlando shared his insights about the environment as we sat around a fire stove drinking mate. He told us, “We are not here to conquer, we are here to learn and live alongside nature. We hope that nature can share some of her secrets with us.” I think we did just that. We were in the Fjords just long enough to discover some of those secrets. This adventure will be an experience I remember for the rest of my life.
Eric, Felidore, and Orlando in search of Huemul
Top photo: The Southern Ice Field