Abstract

This study explores the impacts perceived by the local population in Neltume, a small rural village in the mountains of southern Chile, after a private protected area, the Huilo Huilo Biological Reserve, was established. Since the 1990s, Neltume has experienced economic transition from the forestry sector to the development of special-interest tourism. This research aims to investigate how this transition affects the local population and tourism in the area. Methods used were secondary data review, participant observation, semi-structured interviews with key informants, and questionnaires with local householders, students and tourists. The results indicate that this kind of private protected area plays an important role in local development. However, such developments could present a risk in the future because they create a strong dependency for local inhabitants on just one economic activity.