Chilean Patagonia and the way of life under threat by dams

In total, five hydroelectric dams are planned, three for the Pascua river and two for the Baker. Some of these dams would be more than 1,500 miles from the central grid to which the electricity will be sent. Both rivers are fed by, and they flow in between, the world’s two largest ice caps outside Greenland and Antarctica Photograph: MODIS/NASA/Guardian

Aysén, Chile. Headwaters of the Pascua river start at Lago O'Higgins (known as Lake St Martin in Argentina). The lake is the deepest in the Americas, with a maximum depth of 836ms near O'Higgins glacier. Its characteristic milky light-blue colour comes from rock flour suspended in its waters Photograph: Daniel Beltra/iLCP

Southern Chile, south of O'Higgins, the site at the headwaters of the Pascua river where three dams are proposed Photograph: Bridget Besaw/iLCP

Aysén, Chile. The three dams on the Pascua river would create artificial lakes flooding more than 1,600 hectares (about 4,000 acres). Flooded lands would include some of the world’s rarest forest types, including the critically endangered plants. Other rare species that would be harmed by the Pascua dams include the torrent duck and the white-bellied seedsnipe Photograph: Daniel Beltra/iLCP

The Rave team walks through a marshy area called mallín where magellanic coigue and guaiteca cipres grow Photograph: Daniel Beltra/iLCP

The Huemul deer. This is a rare animal that survives only in remote, fragmented habitats – such as the basins of the Baker and Pascua rivers Photograph: Jeff Foott /iLCP

The Andean condor is considered near threatened by the IUCN despite being the national symbol of Chile as well as Peru, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia and Ecuador Photograph: Jeff Foott /iLCP

Aysén, Chile. Pascua river (lake Quetru area). A view from above the areas that would be affected by the Hydroaysen project Photograph: Daniel Beltra/iLCP

Rio Baker, where the Pascua and Baker rivers end Photograph: Daniel Beltra/iLCP

Aysén, Chile. The Baker river estuary area, including the village of Tortel Photograph: Daniel Beltra/iLCP

Aysén, Chile. The Baker river near the confluence with the river Nef. The two dams on the Baker river would create artificial lakes flooding more than 4,300 hectares (about 10,700 acres). Flooded areas would include some of the best agricultural and ranching lands of the region Photograph: Daniel Beltra/iLCP

The Baker river near one of the proposed dam sites Photograph: Bridget Besaw/iLCP

Rio Salto falls, a tributary of the Baker Photograph: Bridget Besaw/iLCP

Lake General Carrera is fed from the north Patagonian ice field flight Photograph: Daniel Beltra/iLCP

A group of activists travelling from Chaiten to Tortel, from the headwaters of the Baker river to the delta, in protest against the proposed Hydrosen dam project Photograph: Bridget Besaw/iLCP

Activist Jose Cadagan in his home in Cochrane, Chile. Cadagan is a passionate speaker against the proposed dams that would be placed nearby on the Baker river Photograph: Bridget Besaw/iLCP

Activist Augusto Hernandez. In the tiny town of Tortel, the 500 residents can either cut the dwindling resources of remaining cypress forest for fire wood, or they can collect the plentiful resource of driftwood from the many beaches just a short boat ride away. Collecting this wood is a way of life in this area. Most people spend at least one day a week making the trip by boat to harvest wood. Many there fear that the development and large, rapid influx of new people to this area will drastically change their way of life
Bridget Besaw/iLCP

The last remaining gaucho and his family herd the sheep and cattle that feed the staff at the Estancia Chacabuco. This ranch, previously one of the largest in Chilean Patagonia, is now becoming the new Patagonia national park. The process of creating the park involves removing fences and most of the animals from the property to allow these grasslands to heal Photograph: Bridget Besaw/iLCP

Chacabuco guanacos. The guanaco is a camelid native to the arid, mountainous regions of South America Photograph: Jack Dykinga/iLCP

A view of Chacabuco lagunas at sunset Photograph: Jack Dykinga/iLCP

Viscacha are closely related to chinchillas, and look similar to rabbits Photograph: Jeff Foott /iLCP