mills THE FOREST INDUSTRIES AND THEIR EXPANSION Previous sections have shown that Chile has a substantial forest resource occupying over one-fifth of the total and about one-half the productive land area and capable of supplying permanently, under crude forestry practices, several times the volume of raw material now used for all industrial needs. It is obvious that a natural resource of this scope and character is capable of contributing in material degree to national prosperity and, indeed, must be utilized effectively if such prosperity is to reach a reasonably adequate level. Although the real potentialities of the forest resource seem yet to be developed, it is already of considerable social and economic importance. It is the major source of fuel for over 80 percent of Chile's people, furnishes considerable quantities of fuel for industry, and supplies a substantial amount of material for construction, for the boxing and crating of agricultural goods and industrial products, for furniture, plywood, fencing, timbers needed in mining and transportation, and numerous other miscellaneous uses in industry and agriculture. The sawmill industry alone represents an investment in machinery, buildings, tools, equipment and oxen, of some 287 million pesos with an investment in land of some additional 150-200 million pesos. This industry, operating 600-700 small mills, employs from 15,000 to 25,000 full- or parttime workers, depending on the season, pays salaries and wages estimated at 100-140 million pesos and produces structural and other materials estimated at a value to consumers of 360 million pesos. In addition, about 1,300 workers are given full-time employment in concentration yards at the railroad stations. Forest production for ties, poles, and mine timbers, and for fuel and agricultural uses not entering normal commercial channels is estimated at a value to consumers of some 326 million pesos and furnishes many man-years of useful employment. The classified forest industries, planing and remanufacturing plants, and furniture, cooperage, box, flooring, sash and door, and carpentry industries represent an investment of some 420 million pesos, employ about 10,500 workers and pay salaries and wages totaling some 104 million pesos. In addition, the secondary industries dependent on forest products for basic raw materials, i. e., the plywood, pulp, match, wood distillation and tannin industries, represent an investment of 230 million pesos, employ some 1,800 workers at salaries and wages totaling 16 million pesos and produce goods valued at 280 million pesos. Accordingly, the forest and allied industries represent a total investment of well over 1,000 million pesos; employ some 44,000 partand full-time workers, exclusive of those, engaged in cutting fuel wood and manufacturing miscellaneous agricultural products such as fencing, wagons, and carts; pay salaries and wages of about 284 million pesos annually; and produce products valued to consumers at over 1,360 million pesos. This is exclusive of indirect contributions to other industries, as the railroads, which draw about one-seventh of their income from the transportation of forest products and depend to this extent on the forest resource for support. It is obvious, therefore, that the forest resource is already a substantial factor in Chile's economy. It is equally clear that the resource is available to support additional industry on a permanent basis if reasonable fire protection can be furnished for existing forest stands. The problem is one of determining what these new or expanded industries might be. This section discusses each major wood utilization |