When we arrived in Punta Arenas, we found a peaceful winter landscape in the mountains (see these pictures).

Winter seemed to have come really early in the mountains, so we were a bit worried about our fieldwork. But it seemed to be false alarm, because a few days, weather started to improve, and temperatures started to climb to ten degrees and more.

The snow cover made way for an autumn landscape, and the austral forest showed its best side with beautiful colouring that changed every day.

The fourty centimeters of snow quickly started to melt and the dominant white got replaced by orange. For our fieldwork, it is a blessing, as we could find back our plots more easily.

In the background, you can see the city of Punta Arenas, bathing in the sun on the shore of the street of Magallan, a view that keeps us company all through the fieldwork. The trees are the ever impressing southern Nothofagus trees. They are all bearded with lichens that give them a spooky appearance.