The event seeks to share an integrated view of the mountain territories of southern Chile, highlighting their ecological, cultural and scientific value, as well as the challenges of their conservation, governance and sustainable development in the context of climate change.
On Monday, June 8, 2026, we will launch the book "Southern Andes of Chile Natural Laboratory: A Mountain Territory of Global Scientific Relevance", which explores the ecological, scientific and sociocultural importance of the mountain territories of southern Chile. The event will take place from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. in the Auditorium of the Eleazar Huerta Building, Faculty of Philosophy and Humanities, Universidad Austral de Chile, Isla Teja Campus, Valdivia.
The book stems from the work of the Southern Andes Natural Laboratory (LNADS), an initiative funded by the National Agency for Research and Development (ANID) that brings together interdisciplinary research on the Southern Andes of Chile, integrating perspectives from the natural sciences, social sciences, humanities and territorial knowledge.
The publication brings together contributions from national and international researchers on different aspects of mountain territories, including biodiversity, volcanism, glaciers, water, biocultural heritage, socio-natural hazards, governance and climate change. In this way, it seeks to highlight the strategic value of the Southern Andes as a natural laboratory of global scientific relevance.
The book is also part of a knowledge mobilization strategy aimed at bringing science closer to different audiences and strengthening dialogue between academia, communities, public institutions and decision-makers. The initiative seeks to generate accessible, place-based knowledge that helps us understand the socio-environmental changes facing the mountain territories of southern Chile.
The publication also reflects the collaborative progress made by the LNADS network, consolidating a meeting point for research and science communication on mountains, territories and sustainability. It offers a comprehensive view of the Southern Andes, understood not only as geographical spaces but as living, dynamic territories where highly significant ecological, cultural and social processes converge.
The launch will be open to the public and aims to create a space for conversation about the current challenges of mountain territories and the need to strengthen research, governance and science communication from an interdisciplinary and territorial perspective. Students, academics, public institutions, organizations and anyone interested in the mountains of the Southern Andes of Chile are invited.
