The Llancalil Forest — how is it now, and what needs to be done?
- Andrea Redel
- 20 may
- 3 min de lectura
Where is Llancalil and why does it matter?
The Llancalil valley sits high in the Andes foothills of the Araucanía region, between 1,000 and 1,350 metres above sea level. Six adjoining properties were fused 30 years ago, and together cover around 430 hectares of native temperate forest. Water from this valley drains into the Liucura River and eventually reaches the Pacific Ocean via the Toltén river system — which means what happens here affects ecosystems and communities far downstream. Protecting this watershed is not just a local concern; it matters at a regional scale.
A forest under pressure from climate change
Historically, the valley received between 2,500 and 3,000 mm of rain per year. Since 1998, that figure has dropped by nearly half — to an average of around 1,280 mm. Rivers run lower, droughts are more frequent, and the risk of wildfire is growing. The area around Pucón is now officially classified as high risk for plant species loss due to changing rainfall patterns. The forest is recovering, but it is doing so in a tougher climate than the one it grew up in.
What the forest looks like today
Around 84% of the study area is native forest, which is genuinely good news. However, most of it is relatively young — between 30 and 100 years old — and dominated by a single species: coihue, the evergreen Southern Beech (Nothofagus dombeyi). This is the tree that bounces back first after disturbance, and it has done so vigorously.
The problem is what's missing. Species like raulí, roble, lenga, and araucaria — the ancient, ecologically rich trees that once defined these forests — were heavily logged and have not come back. A mature Llancalil forest should contain all of these. Right now, it largely doesn't.
There is, however, genuine cause for optimism. Shade-tolerant species like tepa and mañío are quietly re-establishing themselves beneath the coihue canopy. Some individual coihue trees in the valley are over 400 years old and 38 metres tall — remarkable survivors that serve as anchors for the recovering ecosystem around them.
What lives here
The survey recorded 29 species of vascular plants. The vast majority — 86% — are native to Chile, and introduced invasive species are relatively rare at just 14% of species recorded. Most native species are not currently under conservation threat. The notable exception is the araucaria, Chile's iconic monkey-puzzle tree, which carries IUCN Vulnerable status and was confirmed present along the valley's main trail.
The four things that need to happen:
1. Protect the riverbanks. The streams and waterways running through Llancalil need wide buffers of healthy forest on either side. These riverside forests trap sediment, filter water, prevent erosion, and act as wildlife corridors connecting different parts of the landscape. Where grassland currently meets the water's edge, forest needs to be restored.
2. Keep growing araucarias. In September 2023, 700 araucaria seedlings were planted in the valley. Nearly 90% are still alive and healthy — an encouraging result. This programme is being expanded. The araucaria is a keystone species: ecologically vital, culturally significant, and confined in the wild to this region of Chile and neighbouring Argentina.
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3. Bring back the missing trees. Future planting should focus on the species that history removed — raulí, lenga, tepa, and mañío — rather than simply adding more coihue. Introducing these species will help the forest mature into something richer and more resilient over the coming decades.
4. Build resilience against fire and drought. Less rain means more fire risk. Planting genetically diverse native species, reducing livestock grazing, and maintaining healthy forest cover across the watershed are the best defences available. A diverse, well-structured forest is far less vulnerable than a young, single-species one.
The bigger picture
Llancalil is not a pristine wilderness — it carries the scars of over a century of logging and grazing. But it is recovering, and the conditions for genuine ecological restoration are in place. The soil is healthy, the hydrology is functioning, native species are regenerating, and active conservation work is already showing results. With sustained effort focused on the right priorities, this valley can become something extraordinary.
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