Analysing the Outcomes of the Forestry Sector on the Sustainable Development Goals for Rural Communities: A Case Study of Cabrero, Chile

Abstract

The forestry sector will play a key role in the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The forestry sector is a pillar of many countries’ economies, including Chile. Despite the many economic benefits of the sector for the country, its contribution to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is not clear, especially for rural communities that co-exist with the sector. This study therefore aimed to identify the impacts of the sector on the sustainable development of rural communities in a Chilean commune, Cabrero, and link these impacts to the SDGs. Based on a mixed-method approach that considers key stakeholders perspectives, the paper finds that the forestry sector has multiple and complex impacts on sustainable development, with both positive and negatives outcomes for rural communities, generating synergies and trade-offs with all of the 17 SDGs. It concludes that while companies play a key role in delivering the 2030 Agenda, the achievement of the SDGs will require collaboration amongst people, government and the private sector to understand and support the delivery of a forestry sector that contributes to the sustainable development of communities in Cabrero and, more generally, in Chile.