Los Alerces National Park

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Los Alerces National Park: A Unique Treasure in Argentine Patagonia

Los Alerces National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2017, lies nestled within the majestic Andes mountain range in the Chubut Province of Argentina. Stretching along the western border with Chile, this expansive protected area boasts a diverse and breathtaking landscape that has been sculpted over millennia by the relentless forces of glaciation.

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UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site

The Los Alerces National Park is located in the Andes of northern Patagonia and its western boundary  coincides with the Chilean border. Successive glaciations have moulded the landscape in the region creating spectacular features such as moraines, glacial cirques and clear-water lakes. The vegetation is dominated by dense temperate forests, which give way to alpine meadows higher up under the rocky Andean peaks. A highly distinctive and emblematic feature is its alerce forest; the globally threatened Alerce tree is the second longest living tree species in the world (>3,600 years). The Alerce forest in the property is in an excellent state of conservation. The property is vital for the protection of some of the last portions of continuous Patagonian Forest in an almost pristine state and is the habitat for a number of endemic and threatened species of flora and fauna.

UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site

Criterion (vii): The property conserves a variety of landscapes and scenery. It contains an extensive system of interconnected, natural clear-water lakes and rivers. These waters display spectacular colours with shifting hues of green, blue and turquoise according to the intensity of sunlight and the time of the year. Crystal-clear rivers and lakes are surrounded by lush temperate Valdivian forests in an environment of mountain ranges, glaciers and snow-capped peaks. The Alerce forest is a celebrated feature of this majestic landscape; the forest is particularly remarkable in the north arm of Lake Menéndez which contains the Millennial Alerce Forest, located amidst a rainforest environment of ferns, moss, lichens, vines and bamboo, and with the largest and oldest tree being nearly 60 metres tall and approximately 2,600 years old. The Los Alerces National Park retains a high degree of naturalness providing a profound visitor experience.

Criterion (x): The property contains globally important undisturbed areas of Patagonian Forest, influenced by elements of Valdivian Temperate Forest, which is a priority ecoregion for biodiversity conservation worldwide. The Valdivian ecoregion has developed in marked biogeographic insularity, in which important speciation processes have taken place. This is evidenced by the presence of relict genera and even taxonomic orders, as well as numerous endemic and threatened species: 34% of woody plant genera are endemic, from which 80% are known from only one species, and some are relict having survived periods of glaciation. The globally threatened Alerce tree is the second longest living tree species in the world (> 3,600 years). Unlike many other Alerce forests, which show signs of alteration due to exploitation, livestock farming or fire, the Alerce forest in the property is in an excellent state of conservation, which contributes to the long-term viability of the species’ natural populations.

Encyclopedia Record: Los Alerces National Park

Los Alerces National Park is located in the Andes in Chubut Province in the Patagonian region of Argentina. Its western boundary coincides with the Chilean border. Successive glaciations have molded the landscape in the region creating spectacular features such as moraines, glacial cirques and clear-water lakes. The vegetation is dominated by dense temperate forests, which give way to alpine meadows higher up under the rocky Andean peaks. A highly distinctive and emblematic feature is its alerce forest; the globally threatened alerce tree is the second longest living tree species in the world. The alerce forests in the park are in an excellent state of conservation. The property is vital for the protection of some of the last portions of continuous Patagonian Forest in an almost pristine state and is the habitat for a number of endemic and threatened species of flora and fauna.

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IUCN World Heritage Outlook

The 2025 Conservation Outlook on Los Alerces National Park reports the following assessment:

Source: International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) · View assessment