‘It’s like a plague’: land buying by outsiders threatens Patagonia’s peace

The creation of a national park has drawn hundreds of new arrivals to settle in the remote area of Chile, with a potential threat to wildlife and a way of lifeSix years ago, the Chilean government created the Cerro Castillo national park, a 138,000 hectare (341,000 acres) swath of gleaming glaciers, emerald Andean lakes and jagged peaks spiking skyward like a row of mini Matterhorn. Now that the greater ecosystem is protected, small herds of endangered huemul deer – Chile’s national animal – are making a comeback and invasive plant species are being uprooted.But in the narrow valleys below the peaks, real estate speculators are carving the landscape into thousands of half-hectare lots for sale to those who want to own a slice of paradise.