Valparaíso Region: Restructuring the Governance Model of the La Campana-Peñuelas Biosphere Reserve Management Committee

The restructuring of the governance model of the La Campana-Peñuelas Biosphere Reserve Management Committee (RBLCP) consisted of democratizing decision-making processes to include communities, Indigenous peoples, municipalities, academia, and public institutions in the management of this UNESCO-recognized territory in central Chile. The RBLCP is located between the Valparaíso Region and the Metropolitan Region of Santiago, in an area where nearly 9 million people depend on its ecosystem services.

Its proximity to major urban centers, pressure on ecosystems, water scarcity, and high levels of socio-environmental conflict created significant governance challenges, further aggravated by administrative fragmentation and limited community participation in formal management spaces. In response, the initiative launched a participatory process to transform the functioning of the Management Committee, which for years had operated mainly with institutional actors.

Through territorial diagnostics, citizen participation sessions, and open meetings held between 2023 and 2024, local communities, social organizations, Indigenous peoples, municipalities, and academic actors engaged in dialogue on the reserve’s main challenges and proposed changes to build a more representative governance model.

The process culminated in the unanimous approval of a new operating regulation in May 2024 and the incorporation of new members in January 2025. It established a multi-level and multi-actor governance structure that combines territorial and technical working spaces open to participation, a coordination level composed of technical and territorial secretariats, and a decision-making body of 42 members representing different sectors of the territory, including six seats reserved for Indigenous peoples.

This restructuring made it possible to reactivate a committee that had been operating with limitations for years and to move toward a more collaborative management of the RBLCP. It also strengthened coordination among local governments, institutions, and communities to co-create initiatives.

The experience demonstrates that opening governance spaces to those who inhabit the territory not only strengthens the legitimacy of decisions but also enhances collective capacity to address complex socio-environmental challenges and build a sustainable future.

More information:
https://www.gobiernovalparaiso.cl/
https://www.oidp.net/docs/repo/doc1952.pdf