Rekindling a debate about prevailing forest practices in the country, the Chilean Senate this month voted to begin work on a 20-year extension of the nation’s controversial forest-development law. Timber companies credit the 1974 law with helping to spur major forest-sector growth; but green groups, academics and others here argue the legislation is partly to blame for unsustainable forest management. Álvaro Cruzat, undersecretary of agriculture in the center-right Sebastián Piñera government, praised senators for authorizing extension of the law (Decree 701, Forest Development Law) in a modified form that must now be determined. The vote margin was 23 to 7, with one abstention. “The approval of a bill to modify and extend the Decree 701 will not only help recover land... [Log in to read more]