Are there rainforests in chile

The flagship species of the Valdivian Temperate Forests ecoregion is the alerce. Image credit: Creative Commons. It covers a narrow continental strip between the western slope of the Andes and the Pacific Ocean.

The tree line is at about 2, m altitude in central Chile, descending to 1, m in the south of the Valdivian region. The Andean mountains at these latitudes rise above 3, m. At these higher elevations the temperate forests disappear and are replaced by high Andean vegetation. The average annual precipitation varies between 1, mm in the north and more than 6, mm in the southern part of the ecoregion. The combination of biogeographic events, temperature and precipitation gradients, a long history of isolation, and recent great climatic changes has produced a mosaic of forest types in the ecoregion.

These include:. An important component of the Validivian forest ecosystem, and the dominant and defining tree in much of the Valdivian temperate forest ecoregion is the endangered alerce, Fitzroya cupressoides. It is the largest tree species on the continent and can live up to over 3, years old.

Its impressive size was not only important in the architecture of the ecosystem but also its value in timber trade. Large scale logging of alerce continued long until the introduction of a law in , although illegal extraction still occurs today. The Valdivian Temperate Forests represent a true biogeographic island separated from climatically similar areas by extensive ocean barriers and deserts.

In older forests on both sides of the Andes, the monkey-puzzle tree Araucaria araucana grows at elevations above 3, ft asl. These Araucarias can live 2, years. Parallel to all three rainforests described above, primarily on the eastern slopes of the Andes in Argentina, is a cool temperate Nothofagus forest dominated by evergreen N.

Conifers include alerce and Chilean incense cedar Austrocedrus chilensis. Natural disturbance factors in the South American temperate rainforests are include earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Both of these can trigger landslides, natural fires, and flooding. Araucaria forests are mostly restricted to volcanic areas.

Disturbed areas are usually colonized by shade-intolerant southern beeches. Animal life. Endemism is high among all vertebrate groups. Some 60 percent of reptiles, 30 percent of birds, and 20 percent of mammals are endemic to these forests. The forests and their animal inhabitants are threatened by forest clearance. An estimated 60 percent has been lost to conversion to agriculture and tree plantations of introduced eucalypts and Monterrey pine Pinus radiata.

In addition, intense logging of alerce and Pilgerodenderon uviferum for timber and other trees for firewood has reduced and degraded forests. Facing extinction are 71 percent of amphibians, 31 percent of reptiles, 25 percent of birds, and 81 percent of mammals. In addition 84 percent of freshwater fishes in streams and lakes are vulnerable to the consequences of forest clearing.

Recent additions and upgrades include new trails, signposts, picnic areas, and parking lots. TNC's purchase of the property in prevented ongoing legal conversion of native rainforest to non-native exotic timber plantations for production of wood pulp, and prevented the completion of a coastal highway that was under construction within the Reserve. These actions to stop deforestation and conversion of forests to alternate uses have resulted in third-party verified greenhouse gas emissions reductions of over , net metric tons of carbon dioxide.

TNC developed the program using rigorous scientific methodologies authorized by the globally-recognized carbon standard, the Verified Carbon Standard. Third-party validation of the program and verification of the emissions reductions was completed in , and registration of the program and carbon offsets on the Markit Environmental Registry was completed in A resource for sustainable development projects undertaken by local community groups.

A research center working to streamline conservation work in the area. An important native forest restoration pilot site. TNC is recovering native forests by replacing 8, acres of eucalyptus plantations with native trees, one of the largest reforestation efforts in Chile.