Initiative for the Protection of the Bay of Ritoque and Concón
Science, environmental education and community engagement for the protection of an especially valuable coastal area
At the coast of the Valparaíso Region in Chile, the beach and dunes of Ritoque, the Mantagua wetland and the river mouth of the Río Aconcagua form an ecologically valuable mosaic of great importance for biodiversity. The Manfred-Hermsen-Stiftung, Fundación Ritoque, Fundación Mantagua, and the NGOs Patrimonio Vivo Costa and the Red de Observadores de Aves y Vida Silvestre de Chile (ROC) are jointly working towards its conservation. The aim is to achieve recognition as a site of regional importance for shorebirds within the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN) and to strengthen local engagement towards the protection of the entire area.
Background
The area is located within Chile’s mediterranean coastal region. It comprises approximately 10 km of coastline, including the largest remaining dune field in central Chile, formed by sediments from the Río Aconcagua, which flows into the Pacific at the coastal town of Concón. It contains several wetlands and gallery forests, and the offshore islands host a colony of Humboldt penguins (Spheniscus humboldti), surrounded by a rich and productive marine ecosystem. A total of 161 bird species have been recorded in the area, including 42 species of waders and shorebirds with large populations of the American oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) and the sanderling (Calidris alba). The vegetation of the Mantagua wetland comprises 192 vascular plant species, more than 20% of which are halophytes (salt-tolerant plants).
The project
The initiative comprises three core components:
Monitoring of waders and shorebirds through systematic counts that provide essential data for the dossier of the WHSRN site.
Environmental education delivered through excursions, workshops and other learning opportunities for pupils, teachers and others in the region.
Community engagement, involving local organisations, public institutions, and private stakeholders in efforts to protect the area and strengthen local conservation governance.
As part of the project ‘Conocer para Proteger’, which forms a component of this initiative, Fundación Ritoque and Patrimonio Vivo Costa carry out environmental education, awareness-raising, and measures to encourage community engagement. Several schools, public institutions and other local stakeholders are involved. Fundación Ritoque assumed a central role in articulating the interest of civil society in nature conservation. This relates to a context where the welfare of nearby communities has long been affected by intensive industrial development in the Bay of Quintero and in Concón. In close coordination with the municipal administration of Quintero and other local partners, Fundación Ritoque and Fundación Mantagua advocate for the designation of the Ritoque–Mantagua area as a Municipal Nature Reserve, which would provide legal protection and thereby also greater security for conservation measures benefiting shorebirds.
Current developments
The first bird counts conducted under the initiative and scientifically led by the ROC confirmed that the area meets the criteria for designation as a Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve. Most recently, more than 6,000 sanderlings (Calidris alba) were recorded, representing approximately 2% of the regional population.
On 20 October 2025, an event titled “Día del Compromiso Ambiental” took place in Ritoque, featuring guided excursions, birdwatching activities, information stands on environmental topics, themed performances by school classes, and dialogue sessions on conservation. The event was organised jointly with the municipal administration of Quintero and included a dedicated speech by the mayor. Among the participants were the schools Nuevo Mundo, Liceo Politécnico de Quintero, Costa Mauco and Valle de Narau, as well as neighbourhood associations and a range of other local organisations. The event made a significant contribution to strengthening local awareness for nature conservation and to reinforcing collective engagement for the protection of the area and its avifauna.
Video impressions of the event by Fundación Ritoque
Outlook
In 2026, the project will continue with monthly bird counts along the 10 km coastline between the mouth of the Río Aconcagua and the northern sector of Ritoque, including the Mantagua wetland. Patrimonio Vivo Costa will continue its engagement in safeguarding breeding sites of the American oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) and the snowy plover (Anarhynchus nivosus) at the mouth of the Río Aconcagua, supervising corresponding measures also in Ritoque. Furthermore, the dossier for the designation as a WHSRN site will be prepared, and the offer for environmental education and citizen-science activities expanded.
