The State of Chile has had several intents to foment the colonization and rational explotation of the local environment, protecting the natural resources by means of the one National System of Protected Wild Areas. The Icefield region you it configures in the National Parks: Lagoon San Rafael, Bernardo O'Higgins, Towers of Paine and Alberto Agostini; and in the National Reservations: The Guaitecas, Katalixar and Alacalufes.

The contribution to the development of neighboring towns is an important element of those protected areas. In Chile, the best example of local development starting from wild areas it constitutes it the Towers of Paine National Park. Being the better known park in the one foreigner, the ecoturism has elevated the flow of visitors of the park, stimulating positively the development of Puerto Natales, since the local economy is energized the one to incentivate additional services, and it attracts public investments and deprived in infrastructure and equipment.

This way, the ecoturism has been incorporate to the strategy of development of the region of Aysén, as well as in the Communal Plan of Development of the towns of Creek Tortel, Villa O'Higgins and Puerto Natales.