Trees at risk in Chile

There are many species both herbaceous and woody (trees) that are in a serious danger of extinction, mainly due to human causes.
Within these trees, both their felling and their sale are currently prohibited:



Larch (Fitzroya cupressoides): also known as Lahuén, this tree is of the family Cupressaceae. It grows from the province of Valdivia (Region of the Rivers) to the province of Chiloé (Region of the Lakes) in both the Cordillera de la Costa and the Andes. Due to the high value of its wood (construction of houses), in 1976 it was declared a Natural Monument, and its exploitation was forbidden.




Chilean palm (Jubaea chilensis): is an endemic palm of the family Arecaceae that presents a discontinuous distribution from the south of the river Limarí (region of Coquimbo) until the surroundings of Curicó (Maule Region). It has had a strong decrease in its population, the surviving trees present in 11 subpopulations, of which the biggest ones are in the National Park La Campana (Region of Valparaíso).






 

Cordillera cypress (Austrocedrus chilensis): it is a conifer of subantarctic origin of the Cupressaceae family that grows in both mountain ranges (of the Coast and of the Andes) between the Region of Valparaíso and the one of the Lakes. In recent years, its decline has been increasing as a result of logging, fires and grazing.



To conclude, I want to say that it is very important to be aware of the damage that we have generated over the years, in order to make a change in what we are doing now.