{"id":60147407,"date":"2026-08-18T17:41:34","date_gmt":"2026-08-18T16:41:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/?post_type=photo_story&#038;p=60147407"},"modified":"2026-08-18T17:41:41","modified_gmt":"2026-08-18T16:41:41","slug":"the-overlooked-forest-saving-chiles-sclerophyllous-woodland","status":"publish","type":"photo_story","link":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/forests\/the-overlooked-forest-saving-chiles-sclerophyllous-woodland\/","title":{"rendered":"The overlooked forest: Saving Chile\u2019s sclerophyllous woodland"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As you enter the forest, the air is cold and damp. The silence palpable and heavy. Making your way to the bottom of a ravine of wet earth, green leaves of different sizes and textures block out the sky. Every now and then, you hear the throb of hummingbirds, their feathers as green as the forest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is a sclerophyllous forest. They are characterised by vegetation with hard-textured, evergreen leaves, such as the peumo (<em>Cryptocarya alba<\/em>), boldo (<em>Peumus boldus<\/em>) and litre (<em>Lithraea caustica<\/em>) trees. Such forests are shaped by dry summers punctuated by seasons of heavy rainfall, which cultivates a typically Mediterranean ecosystem. But this forest is not in the Italian countryside \u2013 it is in central Chile.<br><br>The forest is vital for regulating local temperatures, storing carbon and providing firewood, fruit, medicinal herbs and other non-timber products to local communities. It also plays an important role in preventing natural disasters: during the rainy season, the forest acts like a sponge, preventing flooding, and in mountainous areas it helps prevent mudslides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-story-image aligncenter block--story-image block--story-image--wide\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--story-image__column\"><div class=\"block--story-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260604_peumo_El-Boldo-Park_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260604_peumo_El-Boldo-Park_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260604_peumo_El-Boldo-Park_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260604_peumo_El-Boldo-Park_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros-1400x934.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260604_peumo_El-Boldo-Park_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros-1800x1200.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260604_peumo_El-Boldo-Park_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 999px) 1024px, (max-width: 1400px) 1400px, (max-width: 2000px) 2000px, 2560px\" alt=\"a tree full of round, bright red berries\"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--story-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--story-image__caption\">A peumo (<em>Cryptocarya alba<\/em>) tree in the El Boldo de Zapallar park, in Chile\u2019s Valpara\u00edso region. It is one of the characteristic species of the endangered Chilean sclerophyllous forests (Image: Carolina Pedreros)<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260604_peumo_El-Boldo-Park_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros.jpg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"1 MB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"1707\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"2560\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, Chile\u2019s sclerophyllous forests are threatened by climate change, fires and the expansion of agriculture and settlements. In 2025, Chilean researchers said they were on the brink of collapse, with about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S0048969725001913\">40%<\/a> at risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-the-overlooked-forests\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">The overlooked forests<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chile is primarily known for its northern deserts and salt flats, and the wilds of southern Patagonia. Less discussed are the landscapes, flora and fauna endemic to its central region, which hosts one of the world\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cambridge.org\/core\/books\/abs\/biogeography-of-mediterranean-invasions\/an-ecological-overview-of-the-five-regions-of-the-world-with-a-mediterranean-climate\/5437188999E5F4E2F0368A0DB82BF95C\">five<\/a> Mediterranean ecosystems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite being relatively overlooked, sclerophyllous forests are deeply embedded in Chile\u2019s collective imagination and culture. For example, the boldo\u2019s leaves are used to make a tea that is beloved by grandmothers across the country for aiding digestion and protecting the liver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to figures from the Chilean National Forestry Corporation\u2019s (Conaf) 2025 Vegetation Resources Survey, sclerophyllous forests account for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conaf.cl\/centro-documental\/catastro-de-los-recursos-vegetacionales-y-uso-de-la-tierra-de-chile-estadisticas-actualizacion-2025\/\">10.3%<\/a> of the country\u2019s native tree cover. They span a total area of approximately 1,200 km through one of the most densely populated areas of Chile. This region is considered a biodiversity hotspot, home to around <a href=\"https:\/\/mascn.forestaluchile.cl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/JORGE-FAUNDEZ.pdf\">47%<\/a> of the country\u2019s endemic species, including elegant fat-tailed mouse opossums (<em>Thylamys elegans<\/em>) and long-tailed snakes (<em>Philodryas chamissonis<\/em>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-8f761849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-story-image aligncenter block--story-image block--story-image--article\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--story-image__column\"><div class=\"block--story-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20170620_Thylamys-elegans_Punta-Curaumilla_Chile_Luis-Felipe-Tapia-Yanfka_Flickr-30651956098-v2.jpeg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20170620_Thylamys-elegans_Punta-Curaumilla_Chile_Luis-Felipe-Tapia-Yanfka_Flickr-30651956098-v2-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20170620_Thylamys-elegans_Punta-Curaumilla_Chile_Luis-Felipe-Tapia-Yanfka_Flickr-30651956098-v2-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20170620_Thylamys-elegans_Punta-Curaumilla_Chile_Luis-Felipe-Tapia-Yanfka_Flickr-30651956098-v2-1400x934.jpeg 1400w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20170620_Thylamys-elegans_Punta-Curaumilla_Chile_Luis-Felipe-Tapia-Yanfka_Flickr-30651956098-v2-1800x1200.jpeg 2000w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20170620_Thylamys-elegans_Punta-Curaumilla_Chile_Luis-Felipe-Tapia-Yanfka_Flickr-30651956098-v2.jpeg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 999px) 1024px, (max-width: 1400px) 1400px, (max-width: 2000px) 2000px, 2560px\" alt=\"A fat-tailed mouse opossum foraging on a mossy, green forest floor\"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--story-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--story-image__caption\">A fat-tailed mouse opossum (<em>Thylamys elegans<\/em>), endemic to the Chilean sclerophyllous forests (Image: <a href=\"https:\/\/flic.kr\/p\/NGBhDG\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Luis Felipe Tapia Yanfka<\/a> \/ <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/people\/151835564@N07\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Flickr<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/2.0\/deed.en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CC BY SA<\/a>)<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20170620_Thylamys-elegans_Punta-Curaumilla_Chile_Luis-Felipe-Tapia-Yanfka_Flickr-30651956098-v2.jpeg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"1 MB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"1707\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"2560\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-story-image aligncenter block--story-image block--story-image--article\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--story-image__column\"><div class=\"block--story-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260605_fungi_El-Boldo-Park_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260605_fungi_El-Boldo-Park_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260605_fungi_El-Boldo-Park_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260605_fungi_El-Boldo-Park_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros-1400x934.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260605_fungi_El-Boldo-Park_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros-1800x1200.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260605_fungi_El-Boldo-Park_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 999px) 1024px, (max-width: 1400px) 1400px, (max-width: 2000px) 2000px, 2560px\" alt=\"Barba de coral attaches on a rock surface\"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--story-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--story-image__caption\">Barba de coral fungi (<em>Hericium clathroides<\/em>\/<em>coralloides<\/em>) in El Boldo de Zapallar. According to a study published in 2025, the total amount of leaves, fungi and microorganisms was found to have decreased across all sclerophyll forest stands in Chile (Image: Carolina Pedreros)<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260605_fungi_El-Boldo-Park_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros.jpg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"2 MB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"1707\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"2560\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis ecosystem combines three characteristics that make its protection urgent: it is highly diverse, it is poorly protected and it is one of the most threatened in the country,\u201d Patricio Pliscoff, assistant professor of ecology at the Catholic University of Chile, explains to Dialogue Earth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S0048969725001913\">study<\/a> by Chilean researchers, published in 2025, concluded that the forests\u2019 vitality has declined, particularly in the north-central region of Chile. The total amount of leaves, branches, fallen bark, roots, fungi and microorganisms that make up these forests was found to have decreased. Almost 40% of the forest is classified as being at high or very high risk of permanent, fundamental change. Diego Cueto, a University of Chile natural resources engineer who took part in the research, tells Dialogue Earth these results are obvious to observers: \u201cWhen you walk through the sclerophyllous forest, you can look up at the sky and see whether the leaves on the trees block your view.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-8f761849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-story-image aligncenter block--story-image block--story-image--article\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--story-image__column\"><div class=\"block--story-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260604_sky-view_leaves-forest_El-Boldo-Park_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260604_sky-view_leaves-forest_El-Boldo-Park_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260604_sky-view_leaves-forest_El-Boldo-Park_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260604_sky-view_leaves-forest_El-Boldo-Park_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros-1400x934.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260604_sky-view_leaves-forest_El-Boldo-Park_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros-1800x1200.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260604_sky-view_leaves-forest_El-Boldo-Park_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 999px) 1024px, (max-width: 1400px) 1400px, (max-width: 2000px) 2000px, 2560px\" alt=\"A large tree with extensive branches and lush green leaves\"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--story-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--story-image__caption\">The decline of the sclerophyllous forests can be seen in the sparsity of leaves on the trees, say experts (Image: Carolina Pedreros)<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260604_sky-view_leaves-forest_El-Boldo-Park_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros.jpg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"1 MB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"1707\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"2560\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-story-image aligncenter block--story-image block--story-image--article\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--story-image__column\"><div class=\"block--story-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260605_Palo-Negro_plant-El-Boldo-Park_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260605_Palo-Negro_plant-El-Boldo-Park_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260605_Palo-Negro_plant-El-Boldo-Park_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260605_Palo-Negro_plant-El-Boldo-Park_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros-1400x934.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260605_Palo-Negro_plant-El-Boldo-Park_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros-1800x1200.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260605_Palo-Negro_plant-El-Boldo-Park_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 999px) 1024px, (max-width: 1400px) 1400px, (max-width: 2000px) 2000px, 2560px\" alt=\"A dried-out palo negro  in a forest\"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--story-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--story-image__caption\">A dried-out palo negro (<em>Leptocarpha rivularis<\/em>) plant in El Boldo de Zapallar. Chile\u2019s megadrought and wildfires are both taking a toll on this forest (Image: Carolina Pedreros)<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260605_Palo-Negro_plant-El-Boldo-Park_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros.jpg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"1 MB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"1707\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"2560\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The reasons for decline are multiple. In central Chile over the past decade, wildfires and the threat they pose to this ecosystem have <a href=\"https:\/\/app.powerbi.com\/view?r=eyJrIjoiZmI5ZDlkMDAtY2RmNy00YzU1LTk4ZGEtNjhmZjExODU4YzhhIiwidCI6IjZlMTA2YmFkLTk5NTAtNDcxNC1iY2JhLWZlYTUwMDNlNTY4OCIsImMiOjR9&amp;pageName=b2a46684e0c1acf7ec20\">increased<\/a>. \u201cThe sclerophyllous forest is particularly sensitive to fire,\u201d explains Francisca Ruiz, a forestry engineer at the University of Chile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ruiz adds that the <a href=\"https:\/\/geografia.uc.cl\/noticias\/megasequia-en-chile-estudio-revela-cambios-drasticos-y-desiguales-en-los-lagos-andinos-durante-las-ultimas-cuatro-decadas\/\">megadrought<\/a> in Chile, which has affected the country\u2019s Mediterranean zone over the past decade, has exacerbated the issue. Even in forest areas that have retained denser vegetation, rainfall has fallen by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S0048969725001913\">49%.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Mediterranean central Chile, land-use change between 1975 and 2008 \u2013 including agricultural and urban expansion \u2013 was a major driver of forest and shrubland loss, with vegetation change strongly associated with human land use. This was particularly the case for land with relatively lower gradients, or areas in close proximity to roads, according to a <a href=\"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1111\/j.1654-109X.2011.01135.x\">2011 study<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-centuries-old-trees\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Centuries-old trees<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the end of a steep cul-de-sac in the coastal municipality of Zapallar lives 81-year-old Israel Ram\u00f3n Torres. Amid the sea air, his small house overlooks a green hill upon which a sclerophyllous forest stretches into the distance. \u201cDon Monche\u201d, as he has been nicknamed by his neighbours, describes himself as a \u201c<em>Zapallarino<\/em> at heart\u201d. He was born and raised in the area and spent his childhood surrounded by the forest\u2019s green foliage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-story-image aligncenter block--story-image block--story-image--wide\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--story-image__column\"><div class=\"block--story-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260604_Israel-Ramon-Torres_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260604_Israel-Ramon-Torres_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260604_Israel-Ramon-Torres_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260604_Israel-Ramon-Torres_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros-1400x1050.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260604_Israel-Ramon-Torres_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros-1800x1350.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260604_Israel-Ramon-Torres_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 999px) 1024px, (max-width: 1400px) 1400px, (max-width: 2000px) 2000px, 2560px\" alt=\"A senior man stands in front of a residential home\"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--story-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--story-image__caption\">Israel Ram\u00f3n Torres, 81, was born and raised in Zapallar. He recalls how the harmonious relationship between the forest and its locality began to change around the 2000s with the encroachment of property developments (Image: Carolina Pedreros)<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260604_Israel-Ramon-Torres_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros.jpg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"2 MB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"1920\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"2560\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Until a few years ago, he says, the relationship between the community of Zapallar and the forest was harmonious. \u201cWe\u2019d go up the hill and collect firewood when trees fell over. The estate owners wouldn\u2019t let us cut down the trees; we could only collect the wood once they\u2019d fallen and dried out,\u201d he explains. \u201cMy friends and I would also play there, swinging from the vines on the trees.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It was around the 2000s that things began to change, Don Monche\u2019s neighbours say, when property development began in parts of the forest.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An <a href=\"https:\/\/repositorio.uchile.cl\/tesis\/uchile\/2006\/segovia_a\/sources\/1.pdf\">analysis<\/a> by the University of Chile shows how, between the 1960s and 2001, urban development profoundly changed the Zapallar coastline. This development began to extend beyond the coastal road, encroaching on areas of sclerophyllous forest. According to the study, the pattern of urbanisation shifted from being compact and concentrated to dispersed and fragmented. As part of this process, planning evolved from a focus on traditional neighborhoods to concentrating on apartment blocks, gated private housing estates and second homes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-story-image aligncenter block--story-image block--story-image--wide\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--story-image__column\"><div class=\"block--story-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260604_urbanisation-El-Boldo-Park_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260604_urbanisation-El-Boldo-Park_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260604_urbanisation-El-Boldo-Park_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260604_urbanisation-El-Boldo-Park_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros-1400x934.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260604_urbanisation-El-Boldo-Park_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros-1800x1200.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260604_urbanisation-El-Boldo-Park_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 999px) 1024px, (max-width: 1400px) 1400px, (max-width: 2000px) 2000px, 2560px\" alt=\"A panoramic view of a city from a hilltop\"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--story-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--story-image__caption\">Urban development has changed in the coastal municipality of Zapallar, moving from the shore into areas of sclerophyllous forest (Image: Carolina Pedreros)<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260604_urbanisation-El-Boldo-Park_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros.jpg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"1 MB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"1707\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"2560\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-el-boldo-de-zapallar\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">El Boldo de Zapallar<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This encroachment is exemplified by plans tabled in 2001 to build 166 flats, a conference centre and a large hotel at the highest point of El Boldo hill, close to Zapallar. This was a major threat to the forest, but it would also prove to be a turning point in its protection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Concerned about failures to comply with development plans, municipal authorities put the project to a local referendum. On 31 August 2003, citizens rejected the proposals and voted in favour of protecting the forests of Zapallar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A group of 22 residents committed to purchasing the land. It was designated as a privately managed protected area and in 2010, the 65-hectare El Boldo de Zapallar park was opened. In 2017, the park was protected in perpetuity through a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.derechoaconservar.cl\/caso\/parque-el-boldo\/\">real right of conservation<\/a>. This Chilean legal tool enables landowners to voluntarily protect the environmental heritage of a property. Such protection is vital for many of El Boldo de Zapallar\u2019s ancient plants and trees, which require high humidity to thrive. Many are \u201ccritically endangered\u201d, \u201cendangered\u201d or \u201cvulnerable\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-story-image aligncenter block--story-image block--story-image--wide\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--story-image__column\"><div class=\"block--story-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260605_Javier-Marin-nursery-group_El-Boldo-Park_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260605_Javier-Marin-nursery-group_El-Boldo-Park_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260605_Javier-Marin-nursery-group_El-Boldo-Park_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260605_Javier-Marin-nursery-group_El-Boldo-Park_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros-1400x934.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260605_Javier-Marin-nursery-group_El-Boldo-Park_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros-1800x1200.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260605_Javier-Marin-nursery-group_El-Boldo-Park_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 999px) 1024px, (max-width: 1400px) 1400px, (max-width: 2000px) 2000px, 2560px\" alt=\"A man in a cap explains a map to a group of people \"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--story-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--story-image__caption\">El Boldo ranger Javier Mar\u00edn (grey cap) welcomes a group to the park\u2019s nursery ahead of an educational trek (Image: Carolina Pedreros)<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260605_Javier-Marin-nursery-group_El-Boldo-Park_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros.jpg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"2 MB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"1707\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"2560\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Javier Mar\u00edn, a young El Boldo park ranger, is one of a new generation of <em>zapallarinos<\/em> who are working to educate others about the sclerophyllous forest and the need to conserve it. He first visited the park as a member of the public before deciding to devote his energy to its conservation. \u201cWe need this forest,\u201d he says, alluding to the ecological services the forest provides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mar\u00edn is now completing a degree in wildlife management and leads <a href=\"http:\/\/www.instagram.com\/trekking_educativo\">trekking<\/a> groups in the surrounding areas, with a focus on environmental education. His aim is to raise awareness of the forest\u2019s treasure trove of endemic diversity: \u201cI see that this perspective is lacking in the area, where the forest\u2019s biodiversity is highly valuable yet little-known, and threatened by fires and property development.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Carmen Rosa Ringeling, executive director of the park, points out that in recent years, social appreciation for the forest has grown significantly: \u201cPreviously, there was a lack of awareness of its ecological importance; today, the local community and visitors recognise its value in terms of biodiversity and ecosystem services.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The forest\u2019s preservation is no coincidence, she adds, but \u201cthe result of the community\u2019s efforts\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-story-image aligncenter block--story-image block--story-image--wide\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--story-image__column\"><div class=\"block--story-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260604_forest-sea_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260604_forest-sea_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260604_forest-sea_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260604_forest-sea_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros-1400x934.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260604_forest-sea_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros-1800x1200.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260604_forest-sea_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 999px) 1024px, (max-width: 1400px) 1400px, (max-width: 2000px) 2000px, 2560px\" alt=\"A high-angle view of a coastal town on a hillside overlooking a beach and blue bay.\"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--story-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--story-image__caption\">Zapallar town, according to the poet Javier P\u00e9rez de Ovalle, is a place caught between two worlds: \u201cThe ocean wants to carry it away, and the forest holds it fast\u201d (Image: Carolina Pedreros)<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260604_forest-sea_Zapallar_Valparaiso_Chile_Carolina-Pedreros.jpg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"2 MB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"1707\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"2560\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An old poet of Zapallar, Javier P\u00e9rez de Ovalle, imagined the town caught between two worlds: \u201cThe ocean wants to carry it away, and the forest holds it fast.\u201d That, he wrote, is why Zapallar is \u201cpart boat and part cabin\u201d, belonging both to the sea and to the forested hills. The community effort that created El Boldo de Zapallar has helped ensure that one side of that delicate balance endures. But the sclerophyllous forest continues to face the growing pressures of fire, urban development and drought.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>On the brink of collapse, the forests of central Chile are a precious ecosystem that one community has been working to defend for years<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":60147382,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","categories":[761,50039902],"tags":[502,519,523,537,559],"country":[50000024],"class_list":["post-60147407","photo_story","type-photo_story","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-climate","category-forests","tag-activism","tag-climate-impacts","tag-conservation","tag-ecosystems","tag-land-rights","country-chile"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v26.0) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>The overlooked forest: Saving Chile\u2019s sclerophyllous 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