Conaf strengthens controls to combat illegal transport of native wood in Los Lagos

The protection of native forests and the detection of possible illegal extraction led to an inspection operation carried out by Conaf, Carabineros de Chile and the Internal Revenue Service (SII) in the communes of Puerto Montt, Los Muermos and Llanquihue.

The deployment included roadside controls in strategic sectors such as Paraguay Chico, Los Pellines and Piedra Azul, selected based on alerts generated by Conaf's satellite monitoring system, which identified forestry interventions without authorized management plans.

The inspections were aimed at verifying the origin and legality of products from native forests, with special attention to areas where protected species exist, such as the alerce. The initiative is part of the permanent inspection program maintained by the three institutions to ensure compliance with current forestry regulations.

The regional director of Conaf Los Lagos, Fernando Gebhard, called on the public to buy firewood responsibly and to demand the Free Transit Guide for the Transport of Forest Products from Native Forests. This document makes it possible to certify that the wood being sold comes from an authorized extraction under a Management Plan approved by Conaf, thus contributing to the conservation and sustainable use of forest resources.