Monkey Puzzle Tree Article

This is a summary of the peer-reviewed journal talking about the history and conservation of the monkey puzzle tree.

This article describes how the monkey puzzle tree in the northern fringes of the temperate forests of South America has historically been heavily logged and used by humans for its economic value, leading to a significant reduction in native forest cover in Argentina and Chile, and the subsequent revision of governmental regulations and legislation to protect the monkey puzzle tree throughout history. Humans have historically been dependent on the monkey puzzle tree because not only were its seeds an important part of the Araucanos’ diet but the tree itself could be converted into a simple shelter, thus providing the Araucanos with a very favorable trade in the tree as a processable raw material. However, the advent of the colonial era caused a large amount of forest vegetation to be cut and burned by humans for plantation and livestock farming, resulting in a dramatic reduction in forest cover and a significant decrease in tree regeneration capacity.

After the monkey-billed tree was first declared a natural relic in 1976, the people and the government began a sustained policy regarding forest conservation with respect to the monkey-billed monkey, even though they had many conflicts with the timber industry over economic issues in the process. The landmark turning point came after the Chilean government bought the monkey puzzle trees and land for $61.5 billion and transferred these to Quinquan residents and conservation organizations, followed by a national management plan that led to a series of conservation measures for the monkey-billed tree, including the review of applications to harvest the tree, and the allocation of personnel and financial resources. Nevertheless, the Chilean government is still facing a conflict between economic development and nature conservation, and more effective forest policies need to be explored and implemented to ensure the harmonious development of human economic production and forest conservation.

Reference:

Aagesen. (1998). On the Northern Fringe of the South American Temperate Forest: The History and Conservation of the Monkey-Puzzle Tree. Environmental History, 3(1), 64–85. https://doi.org/10.2307/3985427