Abstract

The Northern Patagonian Icefield is the third largest in the southern hemisphere, after Antarctica and the Southern Patagonian Icefield. The Northern Patagonian Icefield includes more than 70 active glaciers, of which most are currently in retreat. This has global implications, such as the contribution of glacial melt water in the increase in global sea level, as well as regional implications, including the long-term maintenance of glacial, environmental and social systems in the Aysén Fegion. The Laguna San Rafael National Park and Biosphere , which currently protects the whole Northern Patagonian Icefield, is therefore a strategic site for frontier research in extreme environments.