PEÑA CORTES, FERNANDO ANDRES
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Strategic scenario building for planning energy resources: The case of Araucania, Chile
La Prospective is an appropriate approach for contexts distinguished by high uncertainty and social conflict. This fr scenario building method has received limited attention in the field of energy resources planning, especially beyond approaches focused on technological issues. The paper utilized the La Prospective method to generate strategic 2050 visions, integrating energy resources and spatial development. The Araucania region in Chile served as a case study, engaging 52 stakeholders, both experts and members of the public. The method was implemented in three stages: (a) system assessment; (b) understanding the dynamics of the system; and (c) obtaining strategic future visions. The results show a regional vision based on key concepts: (i) affordable electric power that protects the environment and clean air; (ii) preference for individual self-generation and/or collective systems (iii) digitally connected and available to everyone. The paper closes with a discussion on how participatory processes enable the elaboration of strategic futures based on high levels of consensus among stakeholders with different interests and professional backgrounds and provides a few recommendations for future research. © 2022 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
Trees, shrubs and herbs of the coastal Myrtaceae swamp forest (Región de La Araucanía, Chile): a dataset
Background Species lists are fundamental for knowledge of species diversity in regions subject to intense anthropogenic pressure, especially in poorly-studied ecosystems. The dataset comes from an inventory conducted in 30 fragments of Myrtaceae swamp forest, located in an agroforestry matrix landscape of the coastal La Araucanía Region in Chile. The data collection was carried out using line transect sampling, which was traced through the core of each fragment orientated towards its longest axis. The dataset provides a record of 55 species (24 trees, 1 vine [as a host], 16 herbs and 15 shrubs) including accidental epiphytes (n = 7), hemiparasites (n = 4), host (n = 10) and additionally woody debris (n = 36). The most frequent trees in the landscape were Myrceugenia exsucca (n = 36 records) and Blepharocalyx cruckshanksii (n = 33 records), species that were also the most common hosts. Drimys winteri was a companion species, other trees and shrubs generally being rarely observed, as was the case of the introduced species (Prunus avium, Rubus constrictus and Ulex europaeus). Branches were the most common microhabitat forhemiparasites. Within this group, Lepidoceras chilense was the most frequent species. For accidental epiphytes, Drimys winteri, which commonly grows on the ground (soil), were the most common species found in the main trunk crotch. Some unusual observations were the climber Cissus striata as host of Tristerix corymbosus (hemiparasite) and Tristerix corymbosus as host of Lepidoceras chilense (hemiparasite). New information This study represents a landscape-scale sample of the swamp forest, which is distributed in a dispersed pattern over a large stretch of Chile. The data were collected from 30 forest patches (from 0.05 to 936 ha), located on the coast of the Araucanía. The database includes the presence of 55 species of vascular plants in 356 records. The main novelty of this contribution is the systematic classification of species under six traits, never before reported in the same database: (i) condition (coarse woody debris, fallen log, live, snag), (ii) habit (herb, shrub, tree), (iii) growth microhabitat (e.g. tree trunk, branch, main trunk crotch), (iv) growth form (accidental epiphyte, hemiparasite, terricolous, vegetative), (v) host species (as appropriate) and (vi) relative location of the species in the sampled patch and surrounding areas (core, border, matrix). Species not previously observed in these forests were: Gavilea spp., Hieracium spp., Lophosoria quadripinnata, Berberis actinacantha, Gaultheria phillyreifolia, Ovidia pillo-pillo, Amomyrtus meli and Caldcluvia paniculata. In addition, two introduced species are novelties for the catalogue of vascular plants of Chile (Cupressus macrocarpa and Prunus avium). Several of these ecosystem traits are indeed new reports for these types of forests (e.g. accidental epiphytes, fallen logs, species-host relationship); at the same time, more frequent data (i.e. species composition, habit) are found in different contributions, making the comprehensive process of analysis difficult. Accordingly, the database is made available in this manuscript. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
A new methodology to quantify structural landscape impacts of land use/land cover change using moving window metrics: a case study in a Chilean coastal basin
Land use and land cover changes (LULC) result in alterations to landscape structure, with particularly significant consequences in the landscapes of coastal basins due to their unique characteristics and special sensitivity. The aim of this work was to introduce a new methodology to assess the impacts of LULC transitions on landscape structure in a coastal basin of the Los Ríos Region in Chile. Changes in landscape patterns were assessed by analyzing systematic transitions in conjunction with moving windows landscape metrics and spatial cluster analysis. An index measuring the impact of transitions on landscape structure change (ITSC) was calculated to assess the degree to which each systematic transition contributed to the spatial cluster of landscape change. The proposed method showed that transitions resulting from the replacement of native forest and especially those which involve its transformation into forestry plantations, have the greatest potential impact on landscape structure in the basin. Therefore, planning and management measures must be established to prevent such transitions, so avoiding a massive change in landscape structure. © 2023 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
Ecosystem services and uses of dune systems of the coast of the Araucanía Region, Chile: A perception study
Coastal dunes can offer a series of Ecosystem Services (ES), especially to local communities. This study aimed to evaluate these benefits by exploring the perception of the Mapuche communities and representatives of the local government concerning the ES provided by the coastal dune fields of the Araucanía Region of Chile. Binary, multiple-choice, Likert scale and open questions were used to explore the general knowledge of 49 subjects about the ES provided by the dunes. Closed questions were analysed using Fisher's exact test, and tests of goodness of fit chi-square and G, while open questions were analysed by qualitative content analysis. The results showed that (1) cultural services were more important for Mapuche communities, while tourism was more valued for local government, (2) tourism and stock-raising were the most frequent use given to the dunes in the opinion of local government and Mapuche communities respondents, respectively, (3) both groups think that dunes offer habitat for biodiversity, and (4) the regulation of natural processes is one of the most important functions for both groups, although Mapuche communities consider that dune fields would not attenuate the effects of a tsunami. The conclusion is that dune fields offer a series of benefits, which are perceived in different ways by Mapuche communities and representatives of the local government. The lack of recognition of this knowledge is one of the main gaps in Chile's territorial planning instruments since it could make a decisive contribution to the management of social-ecological systems by zoning areas and identifying singular components, especially in Mapuche territories. © 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
Mapuche-Pewenche knowledge transmitted by teachers and parents: perception of schoolchildren in rural schools of the Araucanía region (Chile)
In Chile, two public policies focusing on teaching-learning among primary school children have been implemented to contribute to the development of the language and culture of indigenous peoples and to the formation of intercultural citizens: 1) the Bilingual Intercultural Education Programme (PEIB); and 2) the Indigenous Language Sector (SLI). The present study assessed perception of Mapuche knowledge among schoolchildren in schools located in the Mapuche-Pewenche territory of the Araucanía Region. The methodology used for data collection was analytical-observational with a Likert-type questionnaire, applied to children in schools registered and not registered for these policies. The statements had two dimensions: the roles assumed in the transmission of knowledge by these public policies and by families respectively. The results showed that the children belonging to schools registered for these policies, expressed disagreement with most of the statements concerning the transmission of that knowledge; while the children in schools not registered for the policies considered that there was indeed transmission of knowledge. The latter result was related to the loss of valuation of this knowledge by these children. In both cases, the children recognised that knowledge is transmitted fundamentally within the family. © 2019 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.