Six years ago, the Chilean government created the Cerro Castillo national park, a 138,000-hectare swathe of gleaming glaciers, emerald Andean lakes and jagged peaks. 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 plots for sale to those who want to own a slice of paradise.
The sudden interest in Cerro Castillo has sent prices soaring. Twenty years ago, land here sold for as little as $500 for one hectare. Today, the price is closer to $50,000, and that increase is exploding the culture and traditions in
