A critical approach in the context of chilean forestry cities

Abstract

One of the most important processes since the late 1970s regarding land use and spatial changes in the central-southern Chilean regions has been the expansion of forest plantations. Besides, one of the main consequences in the new field of social and cultural geography is the reconfiguration of urban life and land planning management in some important medium and small cities that rely on the forestry industry. This chapter explores how globalization has influenced and redefined the idea of such cities.

It also highlights the influence and the political roles of private forestry agents with regard to redefining the city and ensuring a particular path of development, that maybe offers a new dimension of political economy and a new notion about territory. The reorganization of the space, rural–urban migrations, heavy concentration of real estate ownership, monoculture, extreme dependence, and socio-natural disasters are some interesting consequences of this spatial process.