The Temperate Jungle of South America which covers regions of Southern Chile and Argentina, represents the largest tract of essentially undisturbed temperate forest in the world.
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Ancient
forests are in crisis
 What is at stake? |
Dominated by southern beeches such as ulmo and laurel, these ancient forests support large numbers of plant and animal species exclusive to this region.
These include the Darwin Frog, the Pudú deer, the Chilote fox and the Chilean pine, or monkey puzzle tree.
| "Chile's temperate forests contain at least 50 species of trees used for timber and more than 700 species of vascular plants - half of which do not occur elsewhere." World Resources Institute, 1997 | These forests are also home to indigenous communities such as the Pehuenche community of Chile's Quinquen Valley, the Mapuche Indians of Huitrapulli and other local communities who have long depended on the natural wealth of the forest for their physical, cultural and spiritual way of life. |
Time to act
A significant part of the Temperate Jungle of South America has already lost or degraded and almost all of what remains is under immediate threat.
In Chile, where most of this ancient temperate jungle remains, little has been done since 1992 to protect this endangered forest region.
The production of timber increased by 83 percent in 1996-1998 compared to the previous decade, while the percentage of land designated for conservation increased by only 0.4 percent.