The document will be distributed to attendees of the talk led by José Benado, geologist of the Chelenko
The mysteries of the Capilla de Mármol Nature Sanctuary (Santuario de la Naturaleza Capilla de Mármol) will once again be unveiled, thanks to the work of geologists José Benado and Felipe Andrade, professionals from the Chelenko Geopark Project and lead authors of the guide that explores its secrets.
Geological Secrets: Interpretive Guide to the Capilla de Mármol Nature Sanctuary (Secretos geológicos: Guía interpretativa del Santuario de la Naturaleza Capilla de Mármol) is the title of the document that will be distributed during the Marble Festival (Festival del Mármol), organized by the neighborhood council (JJVV) of Puerto Río Tranquilo. Now in its second edition, the guide—printed with funding from SERNATUR Aysén—meets a demand from local guides and residents for accessible geological information and highlights the importance of this geosite.
Speaking on the significance of the site’s geohertiage, José Benado, geologist for the Chelenko Geopark Project, explained:
«The Capilla de Mármol Nature Sanctuary is important in several ways: it has aesthetic value, economic value through tourism, identity value for the people of Puerto Sánchez, Puerto Río Tranquilo, and the Aysén Region as a whole, and it also has scientific value. From a scientific and geological perspective, it stands out because it is the only karst landform in the Aysén Region. A karst landform is a landscape formed by chemical dissolution processes.»
This project, funded as a CORFO Public Good by the Aysén Regional Government, commissioned by the Undersecretariat of Mining (Subsecretaría de Minería), and implemented by the National Heritage Service (Servicio Nacional del Patrimonio) through the Regional Museum of Aysén (Museo Regional de Aysén), considers the relaunch of this document during the Marble Festival particularly meaningful. It underscores the importance of sharing knowledge locally and making heritage accessible to the community.
Juan Vásquez, Regional Ministerial Secretary of Mining (SEREMI de Minería) and official sponsor of the Chelenko Geopark Project, emphasized:
“As part of the Marble Festival, we will present two talks focused on geology, ornamental rock development, and the conservation of the Capilla de Mármol Sanctuary. These will be led by the Ornamental Rocks team and the Chelenko Geopark team. The latter will also launch a new edition of the Capilla de Mármol guide during the festival, as an educational contribution to the understanding and preservation of this natural sanctuary. In this way, we aim to deepen public knowledge about regional geology.”
Through these efforts, the Chelenko Geopark Project seeks to promote awareness and protection of the geoheritage along the General Carrera Lake (lago General Carrera), through strategies that connect local communities with the natural value of their territory.
In addition to the guide, the Chelenko Geopark team will also participate in the celebration with a talk titled “Guardians of Our Geoheritage: Geology and Conservation of the Capilla de Mármol Nature Sanctuary”, led by José Benado Wilson, PhD in Geology and author of the guide. The event will also include a fossil and rock exhibition.