The Valdivian Coastal Reserve (Reserva Costera Valdiviana) protects a stretch of the coastal Valdivian temperate rainforest — one of the rarest forest ecosystems in the world, found only in a narrow strip of southern Chile and a tiny pocket of Argentina. This rainforest type, dominated by alerce (Fitzroya cupressoides, a Patagonian cypress that can live over 3,000 years), coigüe beech, and dozens of endemic plant species, is the southern counterpart of the temperate rainforests of North America's Pacific coast and shares their characteristic combination of enormous conifers, dense undergrowth, and extraordinary moisture.
The reserve, managed by The Nature Conservancy Chile and local communities, is accessible from Valdivia via the coastal highway. Trails through the forest lead to viewpoints over the Pacific coast and to stands of ancient alerce trees. The visitor experience is undeveloped by the standards of national parks — which is part of its appeal. Guided forest walks can be arranged through operators in Valdivia; the reserve is most rewarding with a guide who knows the endemic flora and fauna.