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SAG Implements Trap Network to Protect Forests in Magallanes

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The Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG) of Magallanes has intensified its forest surveillance with the installation of a network of over 70 traps in the province, aiming to detect and act early in the presence of silvoagricultural pests.

This measure, carried out primarily in the city of Punta Arenas and its surroundings, seeks to protect native forests and urban trees from harmful insects.

The installed traps are of various types, each designed for a specific purpose. Funnel traps capture insects that damage wood and pine trees, while panel traps target chromotropic insects, attracted by certain colors. Phototropic traps, on the other hand, capture insects attracted to light. Additionally, the incorporation of delta traps has been announced for the detection of the invasive moth Lymantria dispar, a species particularly dangerous for coigüe and lenga forests, among others.

The Regional Ministerial Secretary of Agriculture, Irene Ramírez Mérida, has highlighted the modernization of surveillance processes through the digitalization of data records via the Integrated Phytosanitary Surveillance System (SIVIF), replacing the old SISVEG. This technological advancement allows for the online and on-site recording of inspections, improving information management and decision-making in the prevention and control of forest pests.

Juan Francisco Álvarez Cárcamo, acting regional director of SAG Magallanes, emphasized the importance of prospecting stations and the installation of traps to act early against any insect outbreak that could affect local ecosystems. This work extends throughout the Magallanes region, strengthening surveillance and early pest detection across the entire territory.

Graciela Arancibia Reyes, head of the regional unit for agricultural, forest, and seed protection at SAG Magallanes, called on the community to collaborate with SAG's work, urging people not to tamper with the installed traps and to respect their locations to avoid compromising their effectiveness.