However there is a surprising lack of information on the
environmental consequences of forestry in Patagonia. With the
exception of a few studies, there has been no work on the impact
of pine plantations on biodiversity, soil nutrient or water
balances (Gyenge et al., 2002; Rusch et al., 2005). Furthermore,
silvicultural practices, including plantation density and design
are typically based on an economic return basis, ignoring the
mid and long term socio-economic and environmental
sustainability of forestry in the Patagonian steppe areas