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Magdalena Lisboa: The Woman Leading the Only Industrial Cultivation of Eucalyptus Regnans in Chile

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“I grew up in Arauco and I’m still here,” says Magdalena Lisboa with conviction, a forestry engineer and general manager of Regnans, a company in the Biobío Region with a history as unique as the species it cultivates: Eucalyptus Regnans.

From her office in the city where she was born and raised, she now leads a company that is not only a pioneer nationally but likely unique in the world in its field.

Lisboa comes from a family deeply tied to Chile’s forestry development. Her father, a forestry engineer from the University of Chile, was the first professional in the field to arrive in Arauco when Forestal Arauco was still being established. “My dad is 89 and still comes to the office every day. He’s a living encyclopedia,” she says proudly.

Inspired—but not pressured—by her father’s path, she studied Forestry Engineering at the University of Concepción, graduating in 2010. After several years dedicated to academic research, including a doctorate in silviculture, she returned to Arauco for good in 2014 to fully join the family business.

Transforming the Company

“I started as his assistant, helping him with everything. But little by little, I became more involved, and now I’m in charge of the entire operation,” she explains. The major shift she brought to the company was professionalizing and intensifying work with Eucalyptus Regnans, a species native to southern Australia that her father began planting in Chile in the 1980s after learning about it through trials by the Forestry Institute (INFOR).

This species stands out for its rapid growth, straight trunk, and high-quality wood. Unlike other eucalyptus varieties grown in Chile, primarily destined for pulp production, Regnans is cultivated for high-value sawn timber used in flooring, furniture, and paneling.

“We’re currently harvesting trees around 20 years old because we need a specific diameter and maturity to properly dry and process the wood,” she explains.

The entire process, from the nursery to wood remanufacturing, is handled within the company, completing a production cycle that blends technical expertise, family tradition, and innovation.

One of the most surprising aspects of the business is its international reach. Despite being a small company, Regnans exports to Australia—the species’ country of origin—as well as China and Malaysia. “It’s funny—we sell Australian wood to Australians,” she says with a laugh. But the reason is clear: while in Australia this species comes from old-growth native forests, in Chile it’s cultivated industrially under modern forestry standards.

Paving the Way

Regnans’ team currently consists of 45 people, 6 of whom are women. Though the gender gap persists in the forestry sector, Magdalena has managed to carve a path in a traditionally male-dominated world. “The challenge has been significant, but also very rewarding. I hope more women join the sector in the future and see that there’s room to lead,” she says.

Today, Regnans embodies the intersection of science, entrepreneurship, and local roots. From Arauco, Magdalena Lisboa has taken the reins of a family legacy and projected it onto the world stage, proving that innovation can emerge even in the most unexpected places.

“I like to think we’re doing something unique, but also useful. We’re adding value to a species that can offer much more than pulp—it can provide noble wood, local jobs, and real development opportunities for Arauco and its people,” she concluded.