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