Fires in Santiago

Every year there are a couple fires outside of Santiago, which further adds to the air contamination. Most of the time they are caused by arsonists, but supposedly there are some native plants out there that spontaneously combust.. which I think is sorta cool, but it is not so cool when there is a fire outside the city. It is chaparral landscape, natural forest fires happen. And when they do CONAF takes a crew out there, a rugged team used to running up desert terrain in complete gear. And the equipment used to fight fires does not seem anything like what is available in California. Nor have I ever seen helicopters used, little water... they just go up there and take care of it before it burns out of control.

Natural terrain... the spikey things in the middle are what they believe caused this fire on this ridiculously hot day in March 

But it is NOT cool to be an arsonist.

 Crews of people have to HIKE/ RUN up here. They are sorta like superheros.  

And they do it in this gear. 

After the rain... clear skies... temporarily

Santiago is pretty well known for having poor air quality. The city is surrounded by hills and mountains, making it difficult for contamination to escape, especially in the winter when thermal inversion occurs and traps the smog closer to the ground. I have heard several times that it is so bad a Japanese scientist proposed blowing away the mountain to create "holes in the hills."  Personally, I love rain in Santiago because instead of the phrase, "After the rain, the rainbow," it is more like, "After the rain, clear skies... no smog... clean air... beautiful scenery... nice days to jog outside... etc." Except there may be flash flooding because there is so much concrete and little drainage, but that's a different story.

Day 1. After the rain (notice the mountains in the distance)

Day 2 (mountains are still there, close-up)

 Day 3 (I think I see the mountains)

Day 4... back to normal. (There are mountains back there???)

Rio de Nalca

If you ask a Santiaguino what Nalca is, chances are they won’t have a clue. But ask anybody from the south and they’re more likely to wonder why you don’t have a clue. The scientific name to nalca is Gunnera Tinctoria, otherwise known as the plant in Chile with humongous leaves. Some of my favorite areas of Chile are full of nalca everywhere. On the side of the highway, by the ocean, in the forests, as ornamental plants in front of houses… The long, bumpy nalca stalks are sold in wheelbarrels on the streets to be eaten as a snack or in a salad. It is a fibrous stalk like rhubarb with a bitter taste, an acquired taste that I have no preference for. However, I have learned that the better ones are more juicy, tender with a milder taste, whereas others are distinctly sour. Locals stop the car by the side of the road in order to pick nalca to eat, trying multiple stalks to get to one that is just perfect. Not exactly a common practice in Santiago.

One afternoon I was taken to a local beach to try the nalca and we passed a green stream, which initially I thought was algal bloom from farms up the road. However I was immediately corrected, being shown that what I believed was algae was in fact a “rio de nalca” or a river running of nalca seeds in water. Further up the stream the spherical seeds were glassy rose in color, producing a stream of natural gems through the bright green nalca fields. The foreigner is always impressed by the size of nalca plants, but I was fortunate enough to have been moved by its beauty in a different stage in its life cycle.

In certain zones nalca really are everywhere, but as a native plant it is largely welcome and does not seem to spread as a weed. However, in other parts of the world it is unsurprisingly invasive.  

I LOVE Nalca. It just always brings back good memories of my favorite places in Chile. 

Close-up of these amazing leaves

A cat taking a rest underneath the Nalca leaves 

The stalks are edible and often sold off of carts on street corners- however you will only find them this green fresh 

Salmon farms... an unsustainable industry

If there were one word would use to describe local perceptions towards the salmon industry in southern Chile and Chiloe in particular, it would be “bitter.” True, the industry was once somewhat welcomed for bringing jobs into the region, but in the end irreversible environmental and cultural damage was inflicted upon the region. Adding insult to injury, foreign companies owned the companies but they were administered by Chileans, further increasing the level of distrust in authorities and internationals, particularly in relation to environmental projects.

Chiloe is traditionally an artisanal fishing region, with modest boats being put into the waters by locals to fish in a relatively sustainable fashion. Historically salmon is only wild in the northern hemisphere, thus becoming introduced in Chile. Before the salmon industry, the ocean was free and an artisanal boat could come back with a relatively full catch. But the salmon industry changed that in many ways. With over 100 cultivating centers, circular net cages were be placed in various sections of the island, the locations owned by the salmoneras. This greatly reduced the fishing range available to local fisherman, who were unable to fish under or around the property of the salmon industry. This reduced the catch and the profitability of the profession, causing many “Pescadores” to find different work.

Many salmon are anadromous species, meaning that they start their life in freshwater and migrate towards salt water. Therefore in Chile smolt production takes place in freshwater lakes, including in Chiloe, and then are transferred to floating pens off the shores of Chiloe. It is not uncommon for fish to escape these pens and to become a potential threat to native species. Artisanal fishing is an effective way to catch those that have escaped in order to control the escaped populations and limit the possibility of establishing permanent populations.

The pens have had severe environmental impacts on the native fishery. Whereas the waters were once clean and open to swimming, the industry eventually polluted the waters to where swimming is no longer allowed. As one can imagine, food and feces from the salmon begin to stack underneath the nets, which raises the pH of the water and makes the water uninhabitable within approximately 500km of the nets for some native species. One ton of salmon produces approximately ¾ ton of waste and uneaten feed on the bottom of the cages. Other native species feed on the fish feed that escapes the nets, changing the growing pattern and taste of these species. Whereas shellfish used to be collected in many of these locations, the nets make this impossible.

However, the most recent environmental effect of the salmon industry has been the introduction of the virus ISA, causing the shutting down of a large portion of the plants and fisheries. Many workers lost their jobs and original amount of artisanal fisherman has not been resustained. The infrastructure from the salmon industry remains in the waters in case of one day reopening....

Abandoned fishing pens near Pequeldon

I believe these are set to harvest shellfish near Detif.

A “trashy” culture

One of the most visible challenges in Santiago and in Chile that grabs attention immediately is that of trash disposal. All too often the trash receptacles are overfilled, or there is none in site. Trash accumulates… especially in mini-basureros, which are public areas like a street corner that become makeshift mini-trash dumps in residential neighborhoods. Or in parks, on sidewalks, by the side of the road, anywhere. Many people describe it as the “culture.” And this culture is rampant, although it would be entirely incorrect to say that everybody is this way. Too many times I have seen people throw glass bottles or plastic bags out the window of a moving car, or throw popsicle wrappers on the side of the road, or a plastic bag on the ground at a panoramic lookout point. People either think that somebody else who is paid will pick it up or it does no harm. The truth is, one grows accustomed to seeing all the trash and the shock factor wears off.

There have been several successful projects in Santiago, especially Peñalolén, to clean mini-basurero sites. Neighbors become involved in the transformation of the mini trash dump into a green area, taking responsibility for its upkeep. But what I find most astonishing is that when cleaning the dumped trash, they will search for receipts that link the trash to the dumper. As it is often a known neighbor, the people cleaning the area will march to their house and confront the culprit with the proof, telling them to change their habits. This conversion program with neighbor participation has been successful, changing a trash site into a green area or park. 

At times the system to pick up trash is not well implemented. I know areas in the countryside where trash is picked up by the main road a couple times a week, but even people who live by the main road do not know the pattern. Those that live away from the main road do not want to bring down trash when they can burn far more easily on their own property. So consequently, all trash- Styrofoam, tin cans, plastic bags, food waste, is burned. Once at the market a friend insisted on a separate plastic bag when I asked to have the lettuce put in the same bag as the tomatoes. After going back and forth a couple times I relented, but afterwards asked why it was so important to have the bag. The response was that the plastic bag was wanted in order to start a fire. 

Oftentimes more than one barrier exists to a problem, or non-institutional factor such as culture and habit may be more difficult to change than the system. Even if more trash receptacles are more common, many people will choose not to use them. Certainly improved infrastructure is helpful, but without education and a shift in habits and thinking, it will not be satisfactory. 

The 'culture' of dumping trash, or throwing trash wherever is widespread. This was outside Los Andes, a small town outside of Santiago towards the Argentine border. 

Dumped and burned. Not out of the ordinary...

Even if there is trash pickup, that does not guarantee that is efficient. In Ancud, Chiloe, there are no containers for trash so bags are placed on the sidewalk or street for truck.. or canine... pickup. 

This was frustrating to me- September 18th, the national holiday, draws a crowd in the thousands over a four-five day holiday in Parque O'Higgens. But there was not a SINGLE trash can in site, causing it to be littered everywhere... 

ok ok unfair, this trash receptacle is from a very high-end hotel in Bariloche, Argentina. In Chile it is what one would call "cuico" 

Recycling in Vitacura, Ñuñoa and Peñalolén

Realistically speaking, I believe that any large-scale and successful recycling program in Santiago must be economically competitive with conventional waste disposal systems. Currently there is no such sustainable system, which plays a large role as to why recycling is so limited. But that does not mean that the situation is hopeless. As a developing country, Chile faces different cultural, economical and institutional challenges than developed nations such as the United States; distinct challenges require distinct solutions. Whereas two high-profile examples better resemble recycling programs in developed countries, a third system in the pilot stage is more appropriate to local challenges faced in Santiago.

The Punto Limpio in Vitaura is a modern facility that accepts paper, carton, plastic and glass bottles and containers, aluminum cans, old electronics, hazardous materials, old clothes and furniture…basically anything possible to recycle in Santiago… but it is only a drop-off location. The majority of residents must themselves drop off recyclables at the facility, which makes the facility underutilized as it requires people with cars to take the time out of their day to drop off materials. It is a valuable educational facility, but an entirely impractical model for the majority of comunas due to its high cost of operation, effort required and lack of personal vehicles.

Ñuñoa has a system most comparable to that in the United States, where dump trucks make rounds through all the streets in the comuna, collecting the recyclables, which are then brought to a separation facility. However, this also faces challenges; the residents must voluntarily separate their recyclables from trash and place it on the street appropriate days, which sounds simple enough but there is relatively low participation. Routes run six days a week and an assembly line staffed with workers separates the materials, causing high employment costs as well as costs for infrastructure and equipment. As always, education is continuous and key to increased recycling and success rates.

A third distinct recycling program is modeled after a program in Brazil, being far more Latin American than the other two examples which have had limited success in recycling rates. One of the highest overall rates of recycling comes from the unorganized sector of recicladores- basically unemployed men riding tricycles and collecting paper and carton to return in for a bit of cash. Two pilot programs in Peñalolén organize and systemize the recicladores and weigh the recyclables, but divide the money earned from the buyer differently. Besides taking advantage of the recicladores, the programs also have corporate sponsorships, which are essential as the municipality would not have the funds to implement and maintain the programs on its own. Although the long-term goal is eventually self-sustainability without the financial assistance from the corporations, in the beginning stages it is necessary and also adds to corporate social responsibility, being beneficial for the municipality as well as the company.

One of the recycling pilot programs in Peñalolén is sponsored by Cola-Cola and partly administered by Casa de la Paz, and the other by the electric company, Chilectra. This model from Chilectra is based off a program from Brazil, and is using Peñalolén to test the model in Chile because it approximately represents the wide variety of socioeconomic distribution in the country. Both programs were implemented in September of 2010, in separate sections of the comuna involving different neighborhoods and participants. From the surface, the programs look relatively similar. But the largest, most basic distinction is that in the Ecochilectra program participants receive a voucher towards their electric bill based upon what they recycle, and the Coca-Cola program the voluntary participants are not compensated. In order to accomplish this, the recicladores in the Ecochilectra program weigh the materials at each house they visit and then give the participant a voucher towards their electric bill based upon what they recycled, which normally comes to 1-2 electric bills per year. The recicladores are also given a portion of the earnings, as does a portion go into the maintenance of the centro de acopio (Stations where the recyclables are brought, weighed again, and stored temporarily). On the other hand, in the Coca-Cola participants are given four different bags to separate recyclables, and the recicladores go to the houses on the route and exchange recyclables with empty bags. The exchange could last less than a minute, as no weighing is required and participants do not receive compensation. The recyclables are then further separated and weighed in a lot where the buyer truck comes to take the recyclables from the site the same day. The recicladores receive all the money from the buyer, and is thus relatively more lucrative for the recyclers than the Ecochilectra program; however, because there is less incentives to join it also has fewer participants.   

The fact is that currently there are other financial priorities such as health and education in municipalities, and those strapped on resources are unable to allocate funds to recycling. Unless the societal value of recycling increases enough to make it a priority, there is an increase in revenues of the municipalities, recycling becomes profitable or the equivalent to the cost of disposing of trash, it is highly unlikely that recycling will become institutionalized across Santiago. However, the pilot programs in Peñalolén that take advantage of corporate support and utilize the benefits of local resources such as recicladores I believe have a far greater chance of becoming successful and sustainable. If success is measured in rates of recycling, that is.

Tricycles such as this are commonly used as a form of income to collect cardboard and paper then sell it to a buyer. Although unorganized, it is one of the most "successful" forms of recycling in the city, significantly increasing the recycle rate of these materials. This custom is organized with recicladores given official routes in the Peñalolén programs. Whereas traditionally the job of a recicladore is frowned down upon, the program gives a new legitimacy and respect to the profession, now being viewed as a "green job" 

Half-crescents are also used in Peñalolén to collect recyclables from apartment complexes in the Coca-Cola program 

The materials are picked up by a buyer. Although the prices do not drastically too often, they are liable to change, thus making the success and sustainability of the programs quite dependent on the prices given for materials. 

Loading the truck in Peñalolén

Despues de Dios esta La Vega

There are few things that are more comforting and provide a greater relief from stress for me than going to the street market, or La Vega Central in Santiago. I am not talking about a little corner produce store, nor are these anything like the typical farmer’s market in the US where a couple city blocks are set aside for the wealthy and/or crunchy to congregate and buy organic produce and protest war or offshore drilling (ok, I like those too, but they’re a different atmosphere). This is “La Feria.” A quilt of stalls and venders that extend over multiple square blocks, each local’s goods flowing onto those of their neighbors, so much so that one is unable to tell where one vender ends and the next begins. Any and every essential is found in the market. Produce, bathroom supplies, pet food, meat, Peruvian products, you name it, it’s there. La Vega is the definition of chaos. But it has a distinct feel than the rest of Santiago, to be immersed in a busy world of consumers, produce stacked sky high, stray cats, slabs of meat or pigheads on display, and unique Santiaguinos working their trade.  

Walking through La Vega one may wonder what happens when the mounds of produce is no longer sellable or goes bad. A big mural on one side of the wall partly answers that question, which reads, “Despues de Dios esta La Vega” or, “After God, there is La Vega.” Ask nearly anybody who works there what it refers to and they’ll tell you that it is because La Vega does not let people (or animals) go hungry. The venders are generous with their produce, giving or donating to the needy whatever extras they have. During student protests produce was donated to help feed students occupying the schools. If an elderly person looks hungry and without resources, they will be cared to. The market is the heart of the city in the heart of the country.

Even paying full price the goods are among the least expensive you will find in Santiago, with the produce often costing one third or less of the price of what you would pay in a supermarket. One of the main supermarket chains in Chile is Líder, which is now owned by Wal-Mart. When in Santiago one is faced with the option of shopping at a convenient supermarket chain such as Líder, Líder Express, or La Vega. At least at La Vega you know you will be supporting local, working families and a system that donates waste to the needy. 

The Alerce does not die... it is killed.

It is unimaginable the amount of destruction that the human species is capable of imposing on other species and habitats in the current day, simply under the one guise of “I have to feed my family.” Laws sometimes exist to “protect” species, but many times these laws have loopholes or go unenforced. This phenomenon is  embodied in the case of the alerce in Chile (Fitzroya cupressoides), which is the second longest living species on Earth after the bristlecone pine and lives up to about 3000-4000 years old in temperate forests in Chile and Argentina. In human terms, 3500 years is forty-four complete human lifetimes if the average person lives until 80 years old, or 140 generations if there is a new generation on average every 25 years. Thus the alerce does not die; it is killed. Under that backdrop the species is on the IUCN red list for species with a high risk of extinction; it is projected that within several decades the alerce in Chile will be gone.

Once I was explained the dire economics of an alerce this way: If an alerce sapling started with a value of $1, and as an investment its value grew by 1% each year, in 3500 years it would be worth approx $1,000,000,000,000,000. But because alerce wood is precious but not that valuable, without any other value other than its economic value you would cut down the tree immediately to make profit. But obviously the trees have value beyond their wood, which is why the government or environmentalists, such as Douglas Tompkins, step in to protect them. There are enough people willing to exploit and kill the 3000 year old species that they are in extreme risk of extinction. Campesinos will say it is so that they can afford bread for their families… although the reality may be a flat screen tv. Acknowledging the value beyond the economics is where the law steps in, making the alerce a natural monument and prohibiting in Supreme Decree 490/1976 logging of the alerce. However, the law also states that naturally fallen trees or trees killed by fire before 1976 may be exploited, making it difficult if not impossible to distinguish in the market legally logged wood from that trafficked.

Alerce trees can grow up to fifty meters high and be 3-4 meters in diameter, which is an impressive size but it does it at an unbelievably slow rate; the trunk grows approximately one centimeter every 15-20 years. The wood is highly valued as it is resistant to rot and insects, and is famous for being used for the construction of churches and houses on the island of Chiloe. However having been logged since the middle of the seventeenth century at such an intense rate, natural regrowth no longer occurs. Under half of its habitat is under publicly or privately protected lands, leaving the unprotected forests especially vulnerable to illegal trafficking of the lumber, as many forests are in hard-to-reach areas. The locations and volumes of legally exploitable wood is unknown, however with forests in remote and inaccessible areas it is virtually impossible to halt illegal logging.

With scientific instruments a study involving 600,000 cubic meters of alerce found that 2/3 had died after 1976. However, dozens of products made with the wood are easy to find. Everything from knitting needles to carved figurines to earrings, to wall hangings, to roofs and to churches; in certain areas the wood is everywhere. If one asks a vender about products made of alerce they will invariably say that it was legally harvested from a fallen tree, even though it is highly possible that that is not the case. Buying products made of alerce continues this illegal trade of logging alerce albeit not intentionally, so it is of utmost importance that one does not buy support the market. In fact, alerce is one of the few vegetative species protected under the Endangered Species Act, and its importation into the United States is strongly prohibited.

Clearly adaptability is not an advantage to this species, which is essentially unrenewable due to the duration of its life cycle and the stopping of its regrowth in highly exploited areas. I find it remarkable that humans are capable of killing an organism that has lived for over 3000 years so quickly and without much thought, as if it were a eucalyptus planted several years back. Once an alerce is cut down or burned a 3000-4000 year old history is lost, one which is helping to map temperature change in South America. Decree 490 is significant and symbolic for what it attempts to do, but creating a legal market for any selling of the wood is counter-productive because of its difficulty to enforce. We are taught to respect our elders and the environment, yet a species with specimen that survived over 4000 years old is likely to become extinct during my lifetime. Alerce wood would never fetch $1 x 10^15… but regardless the tree has far greater value alive than the price paid for the precious wood.

Alerce: Natural Monument. Its cutting is prohibited. PROTECT IT. Chile. 

A large, ancient alerce. Alerces may live up to 4000 years, but due to the illegal extraction they are likely to become extinct within the next several decades. Whereas the law theoretically protects the species, due to loopholes it is difficult to enforce.

Express... the unseen recycling success

A friend once told that he heard on the television that Chile had the second highest rate of recycling in all of Latin America. Whereas I do not know whether or not it is true, I can see it as possible but not necessarily something to be proud of since there are next to zero successful recycling campaigns. However, there is one grossly overlooked recycling (or reuse) system that receives little attention, and is prevalent in nearly every rinconcito of Chile, in places that may not even have a functioning trash system, forget recycling system. And that is Coca-Cola Express, one of my own guilty pleasures. An “Express” is a 237ml (8oz) glass bottle of a Coca-Cola beverage- generally Fanta, Sprite or Coca-Cola, but other beverages are available at certain locals as well. Generally selling for CHP $150 or $200, (about US $0.30 or $0.40), it is consumed on the spot, be it in a corner store, a cocineria, kiosk, restaurant, etc. Coca-Cola trucks come on a regular basis to pick up the bottles and take them to the plant where they are cleaned and sterilized using a hot caustic solution and rinsed with fresh water under pressure and refilled, to be distributed to the sellers.

A modest cocineria owner told me that he sells about three hundred Express daily. Multiplied by the amount of locations that sell them, which at times feels like every street corner, thousands of people recycle/reuse everyday without giving it a second thought. Critiques of the system surely include that the trucks are old and consume lots of petrol, and the glass is heavy which makes the system even more energy consuming. The cleaning and sterilization process most likely uses a lot of water, which is in relatively short supply, and energy to heat the fluids, as well as dangerous chemicals. However, in Argentina 237ml glass bottles are sold in corner markets and end up in the trash, which seems like the biggest waste of energy of all. Granted the system could most likely be improved with a more modern fleet and efficient vehicles, as well as the most efficient routes. Lighter glass bottles may make a considerable difference, and who knows, maybe it is possible that the cleaning and sterilization process could be made more efficient. Whereas the system is not environmentally pristine, the bottom line is it is a functioning system of reuse in the country of Chile- and if included in the recycling rates, makes it highly believable that Chile recycles more than just about every other country in Latin America.

I find one of the most interesting aspects of Coca-Cola Express is that is goes by relatively unnoticed. Most people tell me that they have only been around for 3-5 years or so, and in that small time Express are sold everywhere...granted they are not sold out. Coca-Cola in glass bottles tastes better, they are far less expensive than cans, which sell for about CHP $500 (US $1), or plastic bottles for CHP $700. And usually 237ml is enough to satisfy a Coca-Cola craving. Surely that increases the demand as well, but one thing is for certain- glass bottles are not being thrown in the trash or on the ground like their plastic bottle counterparts.

Side Note: It is also important to note that larger bottles of 1-3 liters, as well as beer, comes in bottles that are desechable or retournable (disposable or returnable). With a retournable bottle, which are made of glass or a more durable plastic, you buy the bottle once for about CHP$200 (or take one from your friend’s house, or a party, wherever), and then exchange the bottle the next time you go to buy beer or soda. More environmentally friendly, the price from returnable bottles are considerably less, sometimes half the price. But, laziness generally gets in the way of widespread use of the system, as numerous people have told me they buy desechable because they forget to bring the bottles back… akin to forgetting your cloth bag in the car or at home when grocery shopping. So while in Chile remember your cloth bag while grocery shopping, but do not forget your retournable beer or soda bottles either. It will save you considerably.   

The most successful recycling/reuse program that I believe exists in Chile is Coca-Cola Express. Although yes, the trucks are old and polluting, the glass is heavy, water and chemicals are used to clean the bottles and it may not be the most environmentally conscious recycling program out there... bottom line is it reuses old glass bottles at an astounding rate and is obviously economically competitive with the alternatives.

Inexpensive AND in glass bottles, the Coca-Cola really does taste different than in the US. Probably very similar to the "Mexican Coke."  It is about US $0.30- 0.40 for 8 ounces. 

Popular everywhere. 

The Silent Wail of Logging

I often feel a wave of sadness come across my body as I travel from the second largest city, Concepción, south along the ocean because at times it feels as though every second truck that passes is carrying a load of timber destined for North America, Europe or Japan. It is overwhelming to stand in the middle of nowhere, in traditional Mapuche territory, and see nothing but plantations of exotic tree species for kilometers and kilometers, owned by foreigners. Yet the locals that live in these regions have low incomes, or are in poverty; jobs in the logging industry are undesirable as they are physically demanding and pay extremely low wages. Nothing good comes out of the industry but money, if one calls that good. And the societal conflict it has caused is a silent wail. 

The environmental impacts of the intensity of the monocultures of Monterrey pine and eucalyptus are relatively straightforward. There is concern that after several generations of plantings soil quality will decrease, as pH becomes more acidic with each generation. Few insects eat pine needles and pesticides are sprayed on plantations, making biodiversity of insects and animals incredibly minimal. Although less sustainable and healthy for the soil, planters clear-cut the forests and generally burn the pine cones and needles on the forest floor after extraction instead of letting it decompose. Pesticides may contaminate drinking water or run into the ocean. Eucalyptus trees require a lot of water, which may place a drinking water shortage on populations located near or below the plantations. Monocultures are more vulnerable to pests, which eventually may cause increase in pesticide use or introduce another exotic species for biocontrol. And one of the most important environmental impacts is the conversion of old growth native forest with the replacement of plantations, resulting in decreased native flora and fauna.  

Environmental benefits are more or less limited to reduced erosion when degraded land is converted into plantations; however erosion increases considerably after extraction, particularly if the remains are burned, as they typically are. As much of Chile’s exports and wealth originates from prime resources that are extracted from the territory, the timber industry is no different. It is profitable.

But this profit comes at a sky-rocketing social cost deeply implemented during the dictatorship of General Pinochet, whose military regime favored market-oriented economic reforms. Decree Law 701 in 1973 established that 75% of the costs of establishing the plantations would be covered by subsidies, but the structure was aimed towards large scale national and international companies. This spurred the arrival of large, international agribusinesses, in an area traditionally Mapuche. Land rights are an extremely contentious issue today in Chile, resulting considerably in part because of this Mapuche ancestral land essentially gifted away to large international companies to implement and get rich off of logging plantations. Thousands of acres at a time were converted during this time period. It forever changed the landscape, the social demographics and the wealth distribution of the area.

The logging industry is fundamentally linked to Mapuche land rights, one of the greatest social issues plaguing Chile today. Like many other challenges in the country it was also intensified during the Pinochet dictatorship, thanks to the Chicago Boys and US influence encouraging exportation. Although the Monterrey pine is native to California, they grow better elsewhere and are imported at a more economic price… without even paying for the social and environmental costs.

Side Note: A Mapuche group was blamed for the wildfires in Patagonia started in December 2011 because of land ownership issues with a forestry company. It is not my place to opinionate who started it- whether it was the Mapuche group, and Israeli tourist or an unknown third party. But this recent incident only stresses the magnitude of the social issues entwined in the forestry industry in Chile, reinforcing that the conflicts remain unresolved.

In some areas the logging industry exists literally as far as the eye can see, in land that was traditionally Mapuche territory but practically given away to large internationals during the Pinochet Regime

There is a continuous cycle of regrowth and extraction. After extraction it is normal to burn the leftover leaves and pine needles. Even though the pH becomes more acidic there has not yet been reported decreased productivity. 

There is generally greater carabinero (police) presence in these areas, as tensions and conflict run high between the indigenous and foreign landowners 

Aerial view of smaller pine forest after cutting 

Back to basics, Not back in time

Moby Dick, the great American novel, was inspired by a whale that lived off the coast of the Isla Mocha, Region XIII de Chile.  Mocha Dick was a white sperm whale, large and powerful before being killed by whalers. Then around 1953 an American came to the island and killed approximately 5,000 seals for the oil to make and export lassos. Now under protection, some fishermen carry shotguns in case they interfere with the catch, as protection is not enforced. Times progress, but they do not change.

 

Although the island has developed some since the 1800s, it is decades behind the mainland in terms of use of modern machines; life on the countryside feels hectic in comparison.  But visiting the island is not so much like going back in time as it is going back to basics. Many of the inhabitants are artisanal fisherman or ranchers, living near the shore as the center of the island is preserved as a national nature reserve. The primary source of transportation is horse and cart, on simple roads made of shells. But one of the starkest differences is that island was still lacking electricity.  Electrical power lines have been built to supply electricity using natural oil dispensed on the south side of the island, which should arrive by 2012 for 4-6 hours a day. If and when electricity becomes constant more than anything else locals desire refrigeration. Except for pasta and rice, dried goods like that- all the food is fresh. Mollusks, clams, fish, organic vegetables, lamb, chicken, beef, pork, shellfish, blackberries…but without refrigeration it is impossible to save excess. With it residents say they would eat like kings. Thanks to generators, television and cable is available on the island, but the energy is extremely expensive. Cold showers are year-round, but electrical shower water heaters are already installed for when electricity is available. Even a few hours of electricity will be a drastic change.

One of the most interesting aspects of the island is the drastic difference between the peripheries and the center. It is as if you were to slice an avocado in half; the center is a pit of dark, mountainous dense, forest with high biodiversity and threatened species. But on the outside it is green, flat grazing land where the sun will burn you alive if you do not carry protection. In previous time periods the ocean was higher, covering much of the pastures, and in February 2010 the tsunami came up to the main road, carrying with it a few houses as it returned. Walking down the street it is not unlikely for a loose horse to cross your path, or to see a pack of horses galloping towards the ocean. Although not necessarily wild, some are far more tame than others. The funny thing about the island is that automobiles have never seemed more impractical and more out of place, so the original horse power prevails. Times progress, but they do not change.

Bienvenidos! Grazing and cattle farming occurs on the level borders of the island, whereas the mountainous center is protected as a National Reserve. 

The native forest growth is vastly different than the lower grazing land and from the mainland, which is dominated by the forestry industry. 

An overlook from the National Reserve. 

Horses are bred and graze quite freely on the island. 

The roads are made of shells, lined by new power-lines for a few hours of electricity each day that should arrive in January 2012

The principal mode of transportation is still horse and cart. Cars exist but they are refreshingly impractical for most uses.  

Mother of the Snake

One can imagine how confused I became when I asked what the footprints were in the dirt (which looked like a snake with many tiny feet) and was told that it was a “pajarito,” or little bird- which there refers to a large  beetle, and that it is the mate to the snake. I highly doubted my Spanish until I went to the Natural Science Museum in Chillan and learned that the common name to this humongous insect was “madre de la culebra,” or “mother of the snake.” Whereas I still doubt I understood 100% correctly, which attests to the challenges often faced when trying communicate in a second or third language, I now also consider it a possibility that the knowledge in the countryside surrounding the creature is largely myth.

In the countryside in Region XIII of Chile these creatures frequently enter the homes at night, causing slight panic because of the understanding that they are “mañoso,” and bite. And that their bites will literally scar you for life. Generally the solution to the problem is to kill them before they get you- not as though they are hard to spot when an insect that looks like a small bird caught in the house enters. But to clean up any confusion, they are not poisonous like the Rincon spider, and they will not bite unless you put any fingers in front of their pinchers. So if you come across one just let it out of the house, it should not harm you.      

Going back to its name- any confusion about its mating partner or life cycle can be cleared by explaining that it called “madre de la culebra” because of the way its giant larva resembles and is associated with a snake. The (female) larva can grow up to about nine inches long, and takes upwards of 4-5 years from birth to mature into an adult. The larva has large mandibles which it uses to feed on the dead tree that it lives in, going back and forth within the trunk, which is why they are prevalent in many logging areas. It then leaves the tree to form a cocoon and transform into an adult. Cool fact- they are sexually dimorphic creatures, meaning that the males and females have phenotypic distinction. The females are black, generally 7-10cm long, and can’t fly. Their larva is considerably larger than the males, because the males are only about 4-5cm long. The males are light brown in color and due to their size and location of wings, they can fly. So the ones that enter the house at night are males, not the horrifically gigantic females.  Endemic to Chile, their habitats range from the forest regions approximately from Coquimbo to Temuco.

There are many myths and legends related to insects that are just that- myth. The “mother of the snake” or “little bird” is an impressive creature that is misunderstood by people that live around its habitat. I am sure that if I asked nobody would have known anybody that had been bitten by a “pajarito,” but regardless if found they are generally eradicated. Although locals are an imperative and indispensable source of knowledge, so are museums, the library, experts and at times even the internet.

These large fellas have many names. Acanthinodera cummingi, madre de la culebra, pajaritos, arrocero... And if you are familar with Spanish you would that translated the last three names are "mother of the snake,"  "little bird" and "rice." An interesting creature, indeed. 

Not the best picture, but the name "madre de la culebra" comes from its large larva resembling a snake. 

International Demand Sparks Organic Market in Chile

It is somewhat disheartening that it is far easier to find Grade “A” Chilean organic produce in the United States than it is in Chile; the phrase “Productos de Exportación” is essentially synonymous with premium grade produce, thereby greatly diminishing the availability of the highest quality produce in Chile. I was explained to it as such: If you sell the apples from the tree in your backyard, would you eat the large, pretty apples that earn premium price or smaller apples with slight bruises and discoloration but taste the same? Chances are aesthetics are less important for self-consumption and you would sell the higher grade apples. Whereas the example may not perfectly translate to the macro scale, it serves to  emphasize the economic perspective of the situation. The irony is after the long journey in transit, the non-exported produce of a lesser quality are often fresher and tastier than the “productos de exportación” at their final destination point. 

Chilean organic agriculture on a commercial scale essentially exists strictly because of the demand in the United States and Europe, with lighter demand from Japan and Canada. Whereas many subsistence farmers plant organically for themselves and have no interest in official certification, large scale certified organic producers enter the market largely because they are paid a premium from international buyers, making it profitable in the long term with other ecological benefits. It is interesting to me that one of the reasons people (principally in developed countries) buy organic produce is that it has less harmful effects on the soil and the environment, but there are also personal health reasons considered when buying the produce. But the impression that I have gotten in Chile is that the higher prices and more secure market of growing organic produce is the principal reason for the switch to organic agriculture, followed by environmental benefits. So even though the environmental benefits of organic agriculture primarily do good to the land and people of Chile, it is the international demand that spurs the organic agriculture industry.

The market for organic agriculture is still very small in Chile; I once asked a university student studying agriculture and taking an organic agriculture class where it was possible to find organic produce locally, and he gave a short chuckle and responded, “Good question…” and after thinking for a couple of seconds, stated the only place he knew to buy organic produce, was “Jumbo.” Despite the hundreds of markets and thousands of venders, the largest supermarkets, comparable to a Walmart, are generally the only places outside of Santiago possible to find organic produce. Organic produce that was rejected for exportation and forr that reason is sold nationally. Approximately 10-20% of organic produce is rejected by inspection agents, like the USDA, at packing facilities. One of the most important reasons of rejection is that the produce contains traces of an insect or pest; whereas this prevents the product from exportation, often times it can still be consumed and so is sold nationally. 

Chile has several attributes that makes it naturally disposed to organic production. One important attribute is that it is geographically isolated, making the area protected from many maladies that plague other agricultural regions. With the desert to the north, ocean to the west, Andes to the east, and Antarctica to the south, it has been spared from many diseases that have devastated other agricultural regions (This also plays an important role to why Chilean customs agents are so strict about the entrance of meat and produce). A second benefit is that the country is in the southern hemisphere, where the prime growing season takes place during the North American and European winter. This fact undoubtedly contributes greatly to the demand for Chilean organic and conventionally grown produce. A third has to do with the infrastructure; Chile has good communication and transportation within the country, particularly in growing regions. This makes it relatively easy and inexpensive to transport produce within regions, to packaging facilities, and to the ports.

The total value of Chilean organic crops has increased exponentially in recent years. Cherries, apples, avocadoes, lemons and wines are all crops and products grown organically and exported. It seems ridiculous to me to ship organic produce 6,000 miles, as if that trip is good for the environment. However, if the two options are organic cherries from Chile or conventional cherries from Chile, you may as well support organic agriculture in Chile and go organic.     

The (certified) organic market in Chile is based almost strictly off of international demand.

Although the process to gain official organic certification takes several years and can be costly, some growers believe the cost is worth it because there is a guaranteed buyer at a premium cost.

A poster showing the different characteristics of a Pink Lady apple

Size and markings/ blemishes are the main characteristics for grading an apple. The apple on the left is of a higher grade and quality than the one on the right, although the taste is generally the same. 

Once it finally reaches the US the smaller, blemished apple in Chile is fresher off the tree and of superior taste than the larger, unblemished apple sent to the US or Europe. 

This is the most convenient place to go to find organic produce in Chile. 

The section is pretty much exportation rejects but they are still okay to eat. A common reason for rejection is that it was found contaminated by a bug or pest. Foreign inspection agents are at the packing plant in Chile, preventing a ship from even departing if the produce is found with a pest or malady.