Home / Environment / DiCaprio-linked group secures Chilean island's future
DiCaprio-linked group secures Chilean island's future
23 Oct
Summary
- Over 52,000 acres on Chile's Guafo Island were acquired for conservation.
- Efforts are underway to establish a legal framework for protection.
- The island is a vital habitat for seabirds, penguins, and marine mammals.
More than a year after a conservation group spearheaded by Leonardo DiCaprio acquired over 52,000 acres on Chile's Guafo Island, efforts are actively continuing to ensure its protected status. The acquisition, completed in 2025 for US$7.5 million, aimed to prevent destructive industries and preserve the island's unique wildlife and forests.
Re:wild, the organization linked to DiCaprio, is collaborating with Chilean authorities and Indigenous communities to establish a legal framework for long-term protection. This process, reported on October 17, 2026, involves detailed documentation of the island's environmental significance.
Guafo Island, recognized as a Key Biodiversity Area, is vital for numerous species, including sooty shearwaters and Magellanic penguins, as well as endangered marine otters and whales. Protecting its forests is seen as crucial for maintaining these interconnected terrestrial and marine ecosystems.
Negotiations with Chile's Biodiversity and Protected Areas Service are progressing, with a proposed route involving the establishment of a private protected area before potential state transfer. The process, which could conclude by November 2027, also includes addressing the traditional rights and resource use of local Indigenous communities.
