On the path to forest governance by communities: Mapuche visions of a national park project in Chile

Despite the many challenges associated with the move from a centralized governance of forest to one that is community-based, this concept is of great value as it can contribute to fight both deforestation and poverty. This... [ view full abstract ]

Despite the many challenges associated with the move from a centralized governance of forest to one that is community-based, this concept is of great value as it can contribute to fight both deforestation and poverty. This research project aims to explore ways of fostering the long-lasting establishment of projects of forest governance by communities, in an indigenous context in Latin America. 

To do so, a case study was realized in collaboration with Mapuche communities living aroung the Villarrica National Park in Chile. The Villarrica National Park attracts crowds for its volcanic landscapes and millenium trees. However, the intimate link between the Mapuche communities and this territory remains largely unknown. Mapuche have known this territory and used it sustainably much before the national park was ever created. Yet their knowledge, contribution, and traditional uses of this territory are, for the most part, not taken into account by the current administration of the park. Mapuche communities around the park are requesting a more involved position in the governance of this territory.

Using a participatory approach, we worked with some of these communities to document the situation and identify the critical issues in implementing a decentralized system. Then, potential solutions were defined to move ahead with the project. This case study highlights the complexity in establishing a collaborative relationship between the State and the indigenous communities when the latter have suffered from an extensive colonization process. The persistence of core values amongst the indigenous communities suggests that the only way to achieve a sustainable decentralization is to focus on these core values.