The presentation to the Native Forest Advisory Council (CCBN) of the results of the proposal to Update Forest Types and Regeneration Methods, along with the project selection proposals for the XVI Native Forest Research Fund (FIBN) competition, were the topics addressed in the council's first session of 2025.
During the presentation of the results of the Proposal to Update Forest Types and Regeneration Methods, progress was reported on the development of a technical proposal that will serve as input for drafting a supreme decree. This decree will establish the new forest types and associated regeneration methods, incorporating knowledge developed in forest dynamics and silviculture over the more than four decades since the current 12 forest types were created.
In total, five new forest types have been proposed and one forest type eliminated, resulting in a proposal of 16 forest types. Three forest types are subdivided: from the sclerophyll forest type, the espinal forest type is created, with areas of 1,353,447 ha and 236,773 ha, respectively; from the lenga forest type, the ñirre forest type is created, with areas of 3,178,063 hectares and 574,660 hectares, respectively; and from the evergreen forest type, two forest types are created: the Valdivian evergreen with an area of 1,188,205 hectares and the North Patagonian evergreen with an area of 1,874,498 ha.
Confusions and Misinterpretations
Additionally, it is proposed to eliminate the roble-raulí-coihue forest type because it causes many confusions and misinterpretations, and replace it with the roble-laurel-lingue forest type, which covers an area of 1,181,144 hectares. This also implies that the coihue-raulí-tepa forest type increases its area by 45%, to 1,217,743 hectares.
Regarding silvicultural methods, clear-cutting, seed tree, and protection (regular) methods are maintained, but selective cuttings are eliminated, and individual selection cuttings, group selection cuttings, irregular protection cuttings, and strip clear-cutting are added. Each forest type is assigned the permitted silvicultural methods for use, according to their definitions and restrictions.
It was explained that this update is necessary to provide a better understanding of the real situation of our forests and to make a real contribution to the sustainable management of native forests.
It is worth noting that Law No. 20,283 states in Article 3 that the forest types to which the country's native forests belong and the applicable regeneration methods shall be established by a supreme decree issued through the Ministry of Agriculture.
Furthermore, Article 4 states that the National Forestry Corporation (CONAF) must maintain a permanent forest cadastre, in which the existing forest types in each region of the country must be identified and established, and this cadastre must be updated at least every ten years, and its information shall be public.
Regarding the selection of projects for the XVI Native Forest Research Fund (FIBN) competition, it was reported that for 2025, there was an amount of $990 million pesos, with 24 applications received, of which 17 were admissible and subsequently evaluated by 2 external evaluators.
Of the 17 evaluated projects, 8 obtained scores equal to or higher than 80 points, which is the selection requirement. Finally, a total award amount of $513,791,653 was proposed for the XVI competition, for 8 projects, a proposal supported by the Native Forest Advisory Council.
Legislative Matters
At the close of the session, the Undersecretary of Agriculture indicated that at the next council, legislative matters (D.S. 93 and D.S. 68) will be reviewed, and an extraordinary council will also be held to review in detail the proposal to update forest types.
The council was chaired by the Undersecretary of Agriculture, Alan Espinoza, and also present in person were councilors Andrés Benedetto, acting executive director of CONAF; Sandra Gacitúa, executive director of Infor; Daniel Alvares, representative of the Ministry of Environment; and Sergio Donoso, representative of the College of Forest Engineers (CIFAG). Attending remotely were academic members such as Mario Romero, representing the Faculty of Natural Resources of the Catholic University of Temuco, and Claudia Cerda, representative of the Faculty of Forestry Sciences and Nature Conservation of the University of Chile, as well as José Miguel Maíz, representing Organizations of Medium and Large Owners of Properties with Native Forest.
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