Heights The Parque Metropolitano reaches its highest point in the Antennas peak, with 880 meters over the level of the sea. It is necessary to consider that the valley (ref. Italia Square) is at 572 meters high over the level of the sea.

Distancias

General Geology The geology of the Parque Metropolitano is a mountainous cord, which dislodges from the Cordillerano Andino (Andean Cord), clump interrupting the plain of the basin of Santiago. This cord reaches a length of 6 Kilometers in direction to Southwest and raises 200 to 280 meters over the level of the valley. In this place continental volcanic rocks rise, assigned to the formation of range, instructed by two bodies of andesita porfídica and for minor andesíticos veins. It is constituted by rock meteorized, lava insertions, gaps, tufas and agglomerates of andesítico character. It is necessary to emphasize the long and systematic work developed on this sterile surface, in order to create and to stabilize a fertile soil able to sustain the enormous vegetable mass that today is observed. This work has been developed throughout many years and today it is a priority of the authority to preserve it, avoiding any activity that erodes in excess the soil and the vegetable surface.

Reforestation of the Park 20 years ago, our park presented a weaken aspect, especially in the south cone, dark scopes were appreciated when people observed the landscape from high places, accusing dry and sick trees, which contrast with the green of healthy trees. Reflecting about the causes that take to this situation, inevitably, we have to go back to the beginning of the forestation of the Metropolitan Park between 1917 and 1921, dates of the first forestation, the exotic utilized species were Aromos, Eucalyptus, Pines, and low height species, such as prunus, Acacias and Almond Trees. Photos of that epoch show the beginning a very arid, with pending, and non-vegetation hill (excepting Hawthorns). Difficulties to reach the plantation of first trees were extraordinary, but it was reached the objective of covering a semi-naked ground with a forest that could satisfy the recreation needs, and non-polluted epoch. Following years, some climatic events (temporal and snowy periods) decreased the non-adapted to the agro climatic exotic species; so, some trees fell down or they were uprooted and broken. Others were affected by sickness and plagues, finally constituting a deficient forest mass with clear decadency signs. Today we look to our park and we can clearly see that the situation changed. Since the year 2000, begins an intensive sanitation plan of the vegetation and reforestation with native species. New techniques in saving irrigation and higher efficiency were implementing, new equipment and machinery were added which allow a better manage of fire and protection of the forest. The reforestation has taken place with native species, easily adaptable to the ground and climate conditions, besides they possess strong leaves, which allows that their air purification processes keep up during the whole year, moreover having lower water needs, which agrees with our present resources and the responsible use of them.