Outreach for sustainability practices in Chilean vineyards of Mediterranean climate

Background/Question/Methods

The Wine, Climate Change and Biodiversity program is a scientific initiative, which aims to reconcile biological biodiversity conservation with the development of Chilean wine industry. We relieve the wine industry can play a major role on the biodiversity conservation given that most vineyards are located in the Mediterranean ecosystem, which has a very high biodiversity value (biodiversity hotspot) and has been recognized as a priority for global biodiversity conservation efforts. Regardless its important and highly threatened, Chilean Mediterranean ecosystem has less than 2% of its total surface under government protection.

While in many wine producing regions are introducing ‘sustainability’ programs, those varies in their definition of sustainability. However, few programs have made explicit connections with conservation outcomes at the landscape. 

As a part of the sustainability programs, in Chilean vineyards, we carried out inventories and monitoring of biodiversity, implementation of conservation areas, ecological restoration and an outreach strategy for the conservation of biodiversity. This strategy includes among other activities, training workshops and implementation of inquiry trails, which are intended to inform to all the vineyards staff, of the values of biodiversity and the fundaments on which the companies are establishing these conservation areas. Results were evaluated using questionnaires and surveys.

Results/Conclusions

The workshops include issues, such as ecosystem services, flora and fauna, invasive species and ecological restoration. To date, 5 vineyards (125 people) have participated, and demand is increasing yearly. The stakeholders of these workshops were operators, winemakers, managers, marketing managers, and company owners. On the other hand, inquiry trails have been designed in three vineyards. These trails invites visitors (tourists, journalists, buyers, schools, etc.) to be participants of the trail, through an exploration directed to arouse curiosity and create a reflection on the importance of conserving biodiversity through a sustainable management within the vineyards. In addition, it achieves a greater understanding of the Mediterranean ecosystem as well as an approach to science.

After three years, the participants believe working together and learning from shared experiences can achieve better management of biodiversity and underlying ecosystems within vineyard landscapes. This will ensure that productive agricultural sectors are sustained while also protecting and conserving the Mediterranean ecosystem - one of the most diverse, yet poorly protected biomes on earth. And finally, if we want that sustainability certification programs are able to have a positive effect on vineyard, they must also relate management practices to habitat quality, biodiversity, and ecosystem functions.