Abstract

Over the past 40 years Chile has implemented a set of forest policies that have been very successful in generating economic benefits. Yet the reasons for that success are also at the root of the growing conflicts around forestry. The main policy has been the promotion of exotic plantation forests that has resulted in the development of a significant export-oriented forest sector, whose ownership is highly concentrated. The expansion of plantations has had negative socioeconomic and environmental impacts on local communities and indigenous peoples, resulting in growing inequalities and conflicts at the local level. Native forests, while important contributors to local livelihoods, have received far less policy attention. For Chile to prosper, policymakers need to better consider how native forests can contribute to local economies, while export-oriented forest companies must find sustainable ways to mitigate or avoid their negative impacts. Without a rebalancing of forest policies, these divergent outcomes will continue to exacerbate local conflicts, compromising the long-term sustainability of both sectors.