Land tenure insecurity and forest conservation in Chile: The case of the Mapuche Huilliche indigenous communities in the coastal range rainforests of Mapu Lahual

Abstract

Land tenure insecurity is one of the main causes of uncontrolled large-scale land acquisitions, also known as ‘land grabbing’. Land grabbing can lead to precarious livelihood conditions for local communities, unsustainable resource extraction, and the destruction of the natural environment. Secure titles strengthen the land rights of local communities. This research addresses the underlying causes, consequences and possible solutions to land tenure insecurity in Chile. It is argued that through territorial development, interventions that aim at recognizing customary land rights of people who live in territories of high conservation value, plus the simultaneous establishment of community conservation areas, can protect these communities against involuntary land loss and simultaneously help conserve the natural environment. The research takes place in the territory of the Mapuche Huilliche indigenous communities of Mapu Lahual, located in the coastal range rainforests of the Osorno Province, Los Lagos Region in southern Chile (41°S). The research problem -land tenure insecurity- is analytically approached from a regional and national perspective. The problem of land tenure insecurity is faced by many indigenous communities in Chile and other Latin American countries. The development interventions proposed through the research could thus be replicated in other countries or regions.