Chile possesses almost one-third of the worldâ??s few remaining large tracts of relatively undisturbed temperate forests -- also known as frontier forests. Chile\'s forests are some of the most impressive in the world, ranging from Chilean palm forests and Sclerophyllous forests (composed of tree species adapted to drier climates), in north-central Chile, to prehistoric araucaria forests, temperate rainforests, and alerce forests -- the "redwoods of the Andes" -- to the South. The alerce cedar is the Southern Hemisphereâ??s largest conifer, and one of the most long-lived species of trees, sometimes living for over 3,000 years. Virtually every type of temperate forest native to the Southern Hemisphere can be found in Chile. These forests are of great ecological and conservation value. They store vast quantities of carbon that contribute to global climate regulation, control flooding, purify water, cycle nutrients and soil, and house an incredible array of species that provide the genetic material for valuable new products and a foundation for the resilience of natural systems.

Chileâ??s frontier forests are being eroded by the skyrocketing global demand for wood and paper products. There has been a dramatic expansion of logging into southern Chile. Over the past 30 years, the Chilean forestry sector has become a driving force in the national economy, with forest exports increasing from approximately US$40 million in 1970 to US$2.2 billion in 2000. These economic incentives together with the current forestry policy in Chile have promoted the establishment of largeâ??scale plantation of pine and eucalyptus, many of which have resulted in the clearing of precious native forest. These plantations provide most of the timber needed for the domestic and export markets. The result is a dramatic loss of biodiversity, soil erosion, and changes in the water level of streams.

While a significant proportion of the native forests are protected as national parks and reserves, natural monuments, and private reserves, most of these protected areas are located in the southern administrative Regions (Regions XI and XII); regions with low human population densities and few forest-related industrial developments. Aside from these protected forests of Regions XI and XII, only a small fraction of native forest in the rest of the country has protected status. This system of protected areas also has a poor representation of the highly diverse forests types of Chile, and reserve size in many regions is inadequate; a degree of protection that does not ensure the continuity of evolutionary processes and the conservation of biodiversity for future generations.

The improvement of Chileâ??s economic stature and an increased awareness of environmental issues has resulted in a more engaged and interested public. The Chilean citizenry is at a point where they are capable of affecting public policy. However, they currently lack updated information regarding forest conditions, their development, and their intrinsic value as a natural resource. If the public is provided with such crucial data, they will be empowered to influence public policy on forest monitoring, protection and management.

For several years now, Chile has been developing legislation to promote the sustainable management of native forests. This legislation, which has not been enacted, generated a national debate regarding forest resources, and has made both the public and policy makers aware of the lack of current information regarding Chileâ??s native forests and their importance. While Chileâ??s economic situation has improved over the last decade, the government lacks adequate tools and financial resources to promote sustainable management, regulate the forest sector, and respond adequately to the short-term management strategies publicized by the timber industry.

This report, Chileâ??s frontier forests: Conserving a global treasure, is the first Global Forest Watch product to examine the state of native forests in Chile. Launched by the World Resources Institute in 1998, Global Forest Watch (GFW) is a remarkable new alliance that unites non-governmental organizations, universities, scientific researchers, and governments from forested countries around the world. GFW links satellite imagery and aerial photographs with on-the-ground investigation by local groups to assemble powerful information about the condition and threats to the worldâ??s remaining large tracts of forests. The Internet is then use as a vehicle to make the information widely available.

GFW seeks to make information available rapidly to an ever wider audience by providing forest information and maps on-line and developing a state-of-the-art Web site (http://www.globalforestwatch.org) to post results from its multiple field activities in Cameroon, Canada, Chile, Gabon, Indonesia, Russia, the United States, and Venezuela. Reports, maps, and information from credible sources will be available for downloading. Anyone with access to the Internet can consult GFW data and contribute by providing information or views directly on-line. We hope that the array of products and activities will lead to a more constructive dialogue between forest managers and users at the local, national, and international levels.

Global Forest Watch would like to thank the following donors for their overall support of Global Forest Watch Activities: AVINA Foundation, IKEA, the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Turner Foundation, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Department for International Development (DFID) U.K., Home Depot, and the West Wind Foundation.

Global Forest Watch Chile (GFW-Chile) would like to express their most sincere gratitude to IKEA, the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, AVINA Foundation, and the Henry Luce Foundation, for their generous support of GFW-Chile activities and partners in Chile. GFW-Chile would also like to thank the Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) and ERDAS Inc., for providing Geographic Information System (GIS) and remote sensing software to the GFW-Chile chapter; and the German Governmentâ??s Centre of International Migration and Development, CIM, for funding the purchase of hardware equipment for GFW-Chileâ??s GIS lab.

Jonathan Lash
President
World Resources Institute

Jennia Jofre
President
Comit�© Nacional Pro-Defensa de la Fauna y Flora

Antonio Lara
Director
Silviculture Department
Universidad Austral de Chile