Revista Chilena de Historia Natural 82 (3): 361-374, 2009
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Land use change in the south central Chile at the end of the 20th century. Understanding the
spatio-temporal dynamics of the landscape
Land use changes have transformed much of the Earth’s surface in the last 300 years.
Deforestation, intensification of agriculture, and urban sprawl have radically changed the preindustrial landscape. In south-central Chile,
landscape change was initially related to the expansion of farming to address national needs and the growing international demand for
agricultural products. Subsequently, private forestry, subsidized by the State, promoted the accelerated expansion of industrial
plantations, a process that largely determines the current landscape configuration. In this study, we document the spatial dynamics of
land use change in 2.3 million hectares of the Biobío and Araucanian regions during the last two decades of the 20th century. Two land
cover maps were developed from satellite imagery comparing a 20-year period (1979 and 2000). Results confirm that major changes
in the landscape were due to exotic tree plantations for forestry purposes, agricultural activities, and urban and industrial sprawl.
Accordingly, we conclude that substantial loss of native forest cover was driven by the expansion of commercial plantations towards
mid elevations in the Andes and Coastal ranges.
Key words:
dynamic landscape,
land use and land cover change, native forest loss, south central Chile
