Idahue Estate: Wine with purpose and native forests with the FSC label

We began our second day of the FSC Latin America Ecosystem Services Summit out in the field. The FSC Latin American team, community representatives, and private sector stakeholders left Santiago early, and as we moved away from the city, the air began to change – asphalt gave way to dirt roads, and the snow-capped mountains shone under the morning sun. There, vineyards meet the deep whisper of the forest. Beneath a bright blue sky, a landscape emerges that is neither just vineyard nor just forest, but a territory with purpose.

In the heart of Chile’s Central Valley, in the O’Higgins Region, lies the Idahue Estate of Viña Concha y Toro. This is not just another vineyard: it’s a territory where 562 hectares of vineyards coexist with over 1,632 hectares of native sclerophyllous forest – now protected under an international standard for responsible forest management and conservation: FSC.

The value of the label

In 2019, Viña Concha y Toro became the first winery in the world to certify its forest heritage under the FSC standard for conservation purposes. This means:

• restoring and protecting degraded or at-risk areas
• monitoring biodiversity and safeguarding species such as the Chilean frog (Calyptocephalella gayi), güiña cat, and opossum
• preventing wildfires through infrastructure and active response plans.

The FSC label is a commitment that demands transparency, measurement, and accountability.

Verified Impact

Through the FSC Ecosystem Services Procedure, Concha y Toro measures the carbon capture of its forests. Across its 4,272 hectares of native forest, an estimated stock of around 15,000 verified tons of CO₂ has been recorded — strengthening the balance between production and conservation.

In the words of Valentina Lira, Corporate Sustainability Manager:

The FSC Ecosystem Services certification has allowed us to highlight the role of Chile’s sclerophyllous forest in mitigating climate change and sustaining biodiversity. Through FSC’s Verified Impact, we were able to recognize the enormous contribution these forests make. This is highly valuable given that our forests and vineyards are located in a predominantly agricultural area. The contribution of these forests is essential – as you will see during your visit.

More than forests: A living cultural heritage

The Idahue Estate also preserves traces of the past. Amid the vineyard, we walk over archaeological remains where fossils from the Ice Age have been found, and where ancestral knowledge endures through the Laguna Taguatagua School Museum (MELT). Led by the Añañuca Foundation, this institution strengthens cultural memory and community ties, showing that cultural ecosystem services can indeed stand the test of time.

Ignacio Celis, Executive Director of the Añañuca Foundation, highlights:

FSC strengthens the relationship between different actors – us, Viña Concha y Toro, and the local community. We need these pillars to continue working together.

Sustainability with a vision

• Viña Concha y Toro protects over 4,272 hectares of native forest under FSC in Chile.
• It has already planted more than 37,400 native trees (2021–2025), exceeding its target of 6,400 per year by 2025.
• Its native forests are home to over 470 plant species and 118 animal species, showcasing a remarkable contribution to biodiversity in densely populated and economically active areas.

Production and conservation: One path

Through FSC, Viña Concha y Toro demonstrates that production and ecosystem conservation can go hand in hand. Each bottle carries a legacy of regeneration, respect for biodiversity, and verifiable climate action.

Thanks to this partnership with Viña Concha y Toro, we’ve been able to expand the perspective of FSC’s impact in Chile. FSC solutions – designed to protect forest ecosystem services – are available to all economic sectors that interact, directly or indirectly, with nature. This not only helps value their natural capital but also enables concrete progress toward corporate biodiversity goals, generating a positive impact for both businesses and the environments where they operate. - Regina Massai, Director, FSC Chile

To learn more about this model, please contact Regina Massai (Director, FSC Chile) at r.massai@cl.fsc.org.