Abstract

BAVA, José O.; LOGUERCIO, Gabriel A.  and  SALVADOR, Gustavo. ¿Por qué plantar en Patagonia? Estado actual y el rol futuro de los bosques plantados. Ecol. austral [online]. 2015, vol.25, n.2, pp.101-111. ISSN 1667-782X.

Why planting trees in Patagonia? Current status and future role of tree plantations: The use of sustainable-produced timber is more friendly with the environment than that of raw materials which require high amounts of fossil energy to be produced. Plantations can satisfy the increasing demand for timber. In Patagonia, an important capital of tree plantations is being consolidated (in spite of forest fires, management lags and urbanization expansion over plantations). Although an economical and financial point of view indicates that plantations should be restricted to areas with the highest productive potential, from which Patagonia should import timber, there are socio-economic, productive and environmental reasons justifying the promotion of plantations in the region. On the one hand, transport across more than 2000 km is required to satisfy the increasing regional demand of timber (with the consequent impact on CO₂.emissions). On the other hand, plantation promotion represents an opportunity for Patagonian forest development based on local companies. The region has a good biophysical potential for tree plantations, and the demand for timber can be met by occupying only a small fraction of the territory, with the investment returns being received by the following generation. Afforestation development requires low mechanization and therefore it creates more jobs than in other regions. Plantations can moderate or even revert degradation and under proper management they can preserve part of the native vegetation and wildlife, capturing large amounts of additional CO₂. Patagonia has a major number of institutions devoted to science and technology which have lay the ground for sustainable steering of plantations as long as they display the right location, design and management.

Keywords : Forest plantations; Ponderosa pine; Forest development.

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