ANTECEDENTS OF THE CHILEAN FOREST SECTOR.

The plantation of exotic species, initiate more than six decades, have had a sustained growth through time, which has permitted that in the year 1996 registers a total of 1.8 million hectares, of the whom, 75.9% are Pinus radiata; 16.6% are Eucalyptus sp., and the remainder to other exotic species like Atriplex sp., Prosopis tamarugo, Pseudotsuga sp. and Populus sp.

Table 12

Distribution of Forestry Plantations for Specie by Region, 1996
(In Hectares)

Source: INFOR

It comes off of the table that the two principal species, Pinus radiata and Eucalyptus sp,, represent 92.5% of the total plantations,

The plantations of Pinus radiata constitutes the industrial base of the Chilean forestry sector, since they offer qualities that allow to destine them to a great variety of uses. In fact, only representing 18.4% of the surface of productive forests, contribute 74.5% of the prime industrial material, in 1996 the consumption was of 22.9 million m³ s.s.c⁸.

The planted surface and the equivalent volume of Pinus radiata, by region, in the year 1996 is the following:

Table 13

Pinus Radiata Plantations by Region: 1996

Source: INFOR, CONAF, COMPANIES

These plantations extend in the country, from the V to X regions, being the VIII region the one with the largest surface and volume, with a 46.6% and a 51.8% respectively.

Table 14

Surface and Volume of Pinus Radiata Plantations by Age Class According to the Region: 1996

Source: INFOR, CONAF, COMPANIES* Partial figures at national level ( the I , II, III and IV regions are excluded).

According to the outputs of a study carried out by the INFOR in the year 1990, 40% of the plantations of Pinus radiata are subjected to intensive forestry. This supposes the production of plants from genetically improved seeds, the utilization of highly technified nurseries, the adequate soil preparation, the use of fertilizers and pesticides and the application of thinning and pruning produce wood free of knots. It, in consequence, is estimated that, in the next years, wood of good quality will be produced at better costs.

This intensive management is specially carried out by the big forest companies, with the end of getting a better quality of the wood. This permitted that Pinus radiata could be utilized in products that before were elaborated with other wood, like for example boards and pieces free of knots. The companies and diverse organizations of government like the National Forest Corporation, universities and the Forest Institute, also work in the genetic improvement in order to increase the productivity of the forests lands.

On the other hand, traditional forestry exists. This is practiced in the 38% of the plantations and is characterized by carrying out only two thinnings - at 12 and 16 years - and destine the crops toward pulp wood and saw logs.

The series of costs are expressed in real terms and in dollars.

To deflect the market values, internal and external, an Index of Prices for Majority is utilized, for Chile and the USA respectively.

Table 15

Prices for Pinus Radiata logs in the domestic and export market

(In US$/ m³)

Source: INFOR

The rapid growth and high annual production volume, have been important factors in the great quantities of the Pinus radiata plantations. However, these qualities show variations in the different zones of the country. So, the zone of Arauco presents the higher rates of annua l volumetric growth, in several classes of sites, in the other hand, the zone of Arenales (County of Biobío) shows the lower volumetric growth.

Table 16

Annual Volumetric Growth of Pinus Radiata

by Zone and Site Index

For the application of the model, according to what has been said, an average annual increment of 25 m³/ha/ year is utilized. This value is the most representative at the national level for the diverse soil and climatic zones of Chile.

If the legal property of the plantations of Pinus radiata is classified according to surface, considering as big proprietors those that possess more than 1,000 ha; like medium proprietors, between 100 1,000 ha and like small proprietors, those with less of 100 ha, then, we get a concentration of these plantations under the domain of big proprietors; mostly located in the VIII Region, around the great forest industry.

This is confirmed in Table 17.

Table 17

Surface Plantations of Pinus Radiata by the Size of Proprietor

According to Region

REGION	YEAR	SIZE OF PROPRIETOR						SURFACE (Ha)
		Big		Medium		Small		Without Information	Total
		Surface (ha)	Nº	Surface (ha)	Nº	Surface (ha)	Nº
V	1994	6,805,0	2	4,418,7	20	2,714,9	138,0	1,104,2	15,042,8
VI	1995	32,752,8	12	17,861,3	56	8,665,5	335,0	1,233,2	60,512,8
VII	1996	198,546,0	26	79,175,8	306	39,185,1	1,599,0	12,269,1	329,176,0
VIII	1990	472,754,9	30	73,742,6	306	333,097,9	936,0	15,982,1	895,577,5
IX	1991	115,754,8	15	46,932,2	180	21,729,3	956,0	2,729,3	187,145,6
X	1991	69,282,4	6	12,625,3	53	7,893,2	307,0	1,626,9	91,427,8
TOTAL		895,895,9	91	234,755,9	921	413,285,9	4,271,0	34,944,8	1,578,882,5
Category		Big: more than 1,000 ha
		Medium: from 100 to 1,000 ha
		Small: less than 100 ha

The proprietors of plantations reach to 5,283, from them, 91 proprietors concentrate 57% of the total planted surface and remainder 43% is distributed between medium and small proprietors. Should be pointed out, in this context, that the classification between big, medium and small proprietors is arbitrary and practically not comparable with the worldwide forest industry. The five principals North American companies have more than 4 million hectares each and on our bigger companies don't surpass the 500,000 ha.

The regions with less development forest industry show a more balanced distribution of the property of this resource, reflected in the proportions of plantations of Pinus radiata in hands of medium proprietors.

The balance of harvest - growth of the Chilean forests is positive. According to the evolution of the forestation and reforestation appraisal and to the esteemed harvest in the last decades, the country has capitalized its forest resources, especially in the forests plantations. The futures balance is expected to continue being positive, due to the growing availability of wood.

The balance of Pinus radiata is favorable, since the annual availability in volume is superior to the appraisal of annual harvest, including the industrial consumption of wood, the consumption of firewood and the losses for blazes. However, a descent of the balance between the years 1990 and 1994 was observed, product of the important increments of industrial harvesting.

A qualitative improvement is also observed through intensive management, like the application of genetic improvement techniques and of silvic treatments.

Table 18

Harvest / Growth Balance of Pinus Radiata Plantations

1996

The future wood availability has been calculated, for INFOR, by means of the application of predictive models.

Table 19

Future Wood Availability of Standing Forest of Pinus Radiata Measured Every 3 Years and Type of Product 1996-2016

(Million m³/ year)

Source: INFOR

The presented outputs obey to the criterion of projection of the Maximal Readiness Not Falling, which determines the maximal volume of wood that could be extracted and whose magnitude is sustained in time. It is to say, all the wood is harvested in order to supply the current industrial park plus the well-known projects, the remainder is the net available wood in order to sustain new investments.

In the case of the Pinus radiata, a classification between pulp wood and saw log becomes necessary, which is based an the variable utilization index, according to diameters. In the pulp wood availability, the minor diameter are suppose to be utilized, it does not include possible recuperation of refuses in the sawmills.

It should be pointed out that the anterior is an arbitrary division and rather obeys to its customary use in Chile, standing out now that the innovation in the sawmill industry and they of the remanufacture allows to utilize diameters until 10 centimeters in order to produce remanufacture products of high quality.