Chile's two largest timber companies signed an agreement with environmental groups this month in which they promise to stop logging native forests and to formally end their support for the conversion of native forest to tree plantations. In the Nov. 12 accord, CMPC and Celulosa Arauco pledged not to fell timber on their one million acres (400,000 hectares) of native forest here. Instead, they will rely on their current tree plantations and additional plantations they might develop on abandoned farmland or other property not covered by native forest. The two companies, which together account for 80% of Chile's wood and pulp production, also will conduct conservation assessments as a first step toward long-term protection of their native-forest holdings. The agreement—brokered by the... [Log in to read more]