Leonor has a strong commitment to protecting nature and has channeled this passion collaborating with organizations such as National Geographic, OCEANA, NRDC, Save the Whales, Make-A-Wish, and others. These are some of the projects for the protection of the environment of which Leonor has been part:
Juan Fernández Marine Park
Juan Fernández Archipelago in Chile is a natural treasure, both at sea and on land. In 2017, the National Geographic Pristine Seas team explored and studied the sea that surrounds the three islands that make up the archipelago. His studies found that Juan Fernández has the highest number of unique species compared to any other island in the world. Leonor accompanied the Pristine Seas team to Juan Fernández along with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Chile, Heraldo Muñoz, and they were able to meet their people and dive in this sea full of life.
Thanks to the tireless work of her local community in collaboration with Pristine Seas and Oceana, on February 27, 2018, the President of Chile, Michelle Bachelet, created the Mar de Juan Fernández Marine Park, measuring 266 thousand square kilometers, an area of approximately size of Texas, California and West Virginia combined.
Hostess and Key Speaker of Our Ocean Conference, Valparaíso, 2015
Our Ocean is a major annual conference created in 2014 by then-US Secretary of State John Kerry. Its objective is to bring together Heads of State, experts, businessmen, activists of non-governmental organizations, and others to announce concrete measures for the protection of the sea, such as the creation of marine protected areas, avoid illegal fishing, marine pollution, ocean acidification, and climate change. Chile was the host in 2015 and was attended by John Kerry himself, Prince Alberto de Mónico, Leonor Varela and the President of Chile Michelle Bachelet, who announced the creation of the Nazca-Desventuradas marine park of 300 thousand square kilometers, the largest in America.
Protection of the Sea of Rapa Nui
Rapa Nui or Easter Island is in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and is one of the most remote places in the world. Recognized for its native people and the great statues or Moai, this island is surrounded by a spectacular transparent sea and its seabed full of corals. Unfortunately they have suffered from the overexploitation of many of their marine species.
Leonor Varela, together with the international organization Oceana, traveled to Rapa Nui in 2012 to support their people to achieve the protection of the island's marine ecosystem and Motu Motiro Hiva or Sala y Gómez, 200 miles from Rapa Nui and very important for your culture.
“The waters that surround both Salas and Gómez and Rapa Nui are home to an impressive variety and quantity of marine life that must be protected from threats such as overfishing and industrial fishing. That is why it is necessary to urgently implement new conservation measures", said the actress at that time. Since 2010, Sala y Gómez has had a large marine park after the work of their community with National Geographic Pristine Seas and Oceana.
Click here to see the video.
Chile becomes a sanctuary for whales
Leonor Varela organized a demonstration that brought together hundreds of people in Parque O'Higgins called "Save the Whales", one week before the start of the 60th annual session of the International Whaling Commission, where representatives from more than 80 countries participated in Santiago, Chile.This campaign had its greatest milestone when Chilean ministers, environmental organizations and fishermen together with Leonor formed a giant whale that was photographed by ecologist John Quigley from the air, to ask that these cetaceans be protected. This milestone, the President of Chile, Michelle Bachelet, accepted this request and declared the entire Chilean sea as a Sanctuary for Whales, permanently prohibiting the capture, hunting and commercialization of these animals. Leonor had the privilege of being present during the signing and receive national recognition in the Category of Contribution to the care of the environment in 2008, due to this work.
CAMPAIGN AGAINST COAL THERMOELECTRIC IN LA HIGUERA
As part of the Oceana campaign to avoid the construction of coal-fired thermoelectric plants, Leonor Varela visited La Higuera in the IV Region of Chile where the installation of the Barrancones plant was planned, threatening one of the most valuable and richest marine ecosystems in the world. After meeting the communities of Los Choros and Punta de Choros, Leonor publicly referred to the promise made by the former president of Chile, Sebastián Piñera, to oppose all thermoelectric projects that affect the communities, the environment and the quality of lifetime. Later, and after a demonstration in Santiago in which Leonor actively participated, former President Piñera reversed the decision to build the thermoelectric plant in this wonderful place where 80% of the world's Humboldt penguins live and are visited each year by whales. blue, frank, sei, among others.
Click here to see the video.
DOCUMENTARY "EL CANTO DEL AGUA"
Producer and narrator of the documentary about Caleta Tortel, Aysén in Chilean Patagonia sold to CHV, why the HydroAysen project that was going to build large dams on the Baker and Pascua rivers should not be approved.
Click here to see the video.
