Fear The Forests

Tree farming in Chile has dire economic and social impacts on the indigenous people.

1 minute read

March 12, 2003, 8:00 AM PST

"The environmental impact of commercial tree farming in Chile has helped feed a renaissance of activism and cultural pride among the nation's 1 million Mapuche... Most of the trees planted in the region are Monterey pine -- a species native to California -- and eucalyptus from Australia, says Aaron Sanger of ForestEthics. The density of the planting causes ground water to disappear, he says. Often, the trees grow so close together that wildlife can't walk between them... Relegated to reservations -- called 'reductions' here -- most Mapuche now work as impoverished farmers or field hands or live as a marginalized minority in Chilean cities."

Thanks to Laura Kranz

FULL STORY: Where Forests Are Foes

Wednesday, March 12, 2003 in The Los Angeles Times

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