Parks, Paths, and Dams: A History of Conservation and Infrastructure in Twentieth Century Patagonia

Abstract

Today, many of us would agree that protecting nature constitutes a morally desirablepolicy. Yet, the history of conservation does not escape political, social, or culturalagendas. This multi-year book project seeks to historicize conservation in the region ofPatagonia, straddling Chile and Argentina, through the twentieth century. It particularlydelves into the intertwined history of conservation and infrastructure, sometimes at oddsbut often in conversation with one another. Writing a transnational history ofconservation and its relationship with infrastructure projects requires extensive archivalfieldwork. The SI-RITEA grant will fund archival research in national repositories inSantiago, Chile, sifting through the collections of development forestry, tourismagencies, state correspondence, and the Ministry of Agriculture, which housed manyinfrastructure efforts in the south. This research will allow me to produce an article in thenext two years and a digital map of Chilean protected areas in collaboration with agraduate student.