Mapping forest conversion in Southern Chile

Abstract

Chile has increased foreign trade dramatically in the last 15 years, especially in agro-forestry products, whose export has tripled in the last five years. Extensive temperate forests in southern Chile have been harvested and replaced with eucalyptus and pine plantations. The environmental impacts of this conversion include soil erosion, stream siltation, fisheries impact and disruption of native wildlife. Using Thematic Mapper and Enhanced Thematic Mapper satellite imagery, we have determined that a significant portion of the Bío Bío River basin, is now engaged in large-scale agro forestry, and extensive native forests have been removed, and replaced with exotic trees for production. Remote sensing methodologies represent the best opportunity to characterize long-term conversion of the forest in the region.