Silent, but never unnoticed, the forests are painting the south of our country green. Did you know that the temperate forests together with the dry subtropical forests of our region gather as much biological diversity as the tropical rainforests? In Chile we know this well, since we have a tenth of the temperate forests of the whole world, that is why the study of their species, as well as the behavior of the whole ecosystem, is part of the specialties that the universities of our country have. Thus, from the south of the south, we are contributing to understand our environment, take care of our planet and create a better future for the world.
This type of vegetation, in the southern hemisphere, only occurs in areas of Chile and Argentina, New Zealand and Australia. The humid temperate forests of southern Chile have a unique and distinct evolutionary history, which is reflected in the genetic diversity of their own species, such as those grouped in the coihue genus. This genetic diversity, which makes these forests unique, is associated with the steep topographic gradients of the center-south of the country.
Native forests represent 82% of Chile's forest resources and are key to counteracting the effects of climate change, as they are the largest source of CO2 capture and protect riverbanks and water sources, preventing land from drying out.
Forest management through ecological forestry is based on a number of principles: maintaining ecosystems and their diversity of structures, using models of natural forest development, valuing the complexity and heterogeneity of ecosystems, and emphasizing diversity and resilience to reduce disruptive risks.
Find out where you can study them
- At the Universidad Austral de Chile you can study the PhD in Forest Ecosystems and Natural Resources. You can also opt for the Master of Science in Forestry and Environment, with a solid scientific-technical base, in the changing global socioeconomic and climatic context.
- Also in the south of Chile is the Universidad de la Frontera, where there is the possibility of pursuing a PhD in Natural Resources Sciences, whose objective is to train researchers with a multidisciplinary and integral vision in the fields of biology, microbiology, soil physicochemistry and environment, nutrition and plant physiology, among others.
- Close to the temperate forests, the Universidad del Bío-Bío also promotes research through the Doctorate in Sciences with a mention in Renewable Natural Resources, with emphasis on terrestrial ecosystems.
- The PhD in Biodiversity Conservation and Management at Universidad Santo Tomás includes courses aimed at supporting the process of raising and managing resources or funds for conservation. There is also the Diploma in Biological Conservation of the same university.
- With greater emphasis on molecular ecology and environmental microbiology and on ecotoxicology and phytoremediation, but also on population and community ecology, as well as on conservation, management and administration of biological natural resources, is the Master in Sciences, mention in Biodiversity and Conservation, of the Universidad de Valparaíso.
The academic offer is broad, learn more about these and other specialties in LearnChile.cl
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