Storms and Forestry SMEs: The Challenge of Resilience

By Ignacio Vera, General Manager of Forestal Santa Blanca

The frontal system that affected more than ten regions of the country during July left 5 people dead, over 2,200 affected, nearly 100,000 people isolated, hundreds of thousands of customers without electricity, and severe damage to road, health, and energy infrastructure. In the Coquimbo Region, the heaviest rainfall in 39 years forced the Government to declare a State of Catastrophe, confirming that Chile faces a new climate scenario where extreme events are no longer exceptional.

“Although public attention focused on urban areas, the impact was also severe for small and medium-sized forestry enterprises in Maule, Ñuble, Biobío, and La Araucanía. Wind gusts exceeding 100 km/h caused the toppling of radiata pine and eucalyptus plantations nearing harvest, reducing the commercial value of the timber,” says Ignacio Vera, General Manager of Forestal Santa Blanca. The executive adds that, at the same time, soil saturation halted operations, prevented heavy machinery access, damaged forest roads, bridges, culverts, and drainage systems, and disrupted transport to sawmills and ports. “SMEs are especially vulnerable because they have less financial capacity to rebuild infrastructure and absorb these losses,” he adds.

This episode confirms a long-term trend. A recent analysis warns that Chile must become accustomed to increasingly intense and simultaneous phenomena across large areas of the territory. In fact, between 1990 and 2021, nearly 1,200 road sections suffered closures due to hydrometeorological events, affecting more than 36,000 kilometers of road infrastructure—evidence that connectivity will be one of the main challenges for the competitiveness of productive sectors.

“Faced with this scenario, forest infrastructure must no longer be understood solely as a productive asset but should be considered strategic infrastructure for climate change adaptation. Resilient forest roads, drainage systems, bridges, culverts, watershed restoration, and native forest protection help reduce the effects of floods, landslides, and fires, ensuring operational continuity and protecting rural communities,” explains Vera Izquierdo.

Resilience does not depend solely on large investments. Forestry SMEs can strengthen their adaptation through preventive road maintenance, meteorological monitoring, early warning systems, harvest planning, erosion control, and greater coordination with public agencies. Likewise, the conservation of ravines, riparian strips, and native forests helps stabilize soils and reduce floods and landslides. “Chile needs a permanent resilience policy against extreme climate events that incorporates preventive infrastructure in forest territories, protecting employment, connectivity, and regional development, following a logic similar to that which drove its leadership in earthquake-resistant construction,” indicates the General Manager of Forestal Santa Blanca.