Status
In the 2010s "Sphagnum" peat in Chile has begun to be harvested at large scales for export to countries like Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and the United States. Given "Sphagnum"s property to absorb excess water and release it during dry months harvesting of "Sphagnum", means that overexploitation may threaten the water supply in the fjords and channels of Chile. Extraction of "Sphagnum" in Chile is regulated by law since August 2, 2018. Since 2018 Chilean law allows only for the manual extraction of Sphagnum using only pitchforks or similar tools as aid. In a given area at least 30% of Sphagnum coverage has to be left unharvested. Harvested "Sphagnum" fibers may not exceed 15 cm in length and the remaining "Sphagnum" after harvest may never have a length less than 5 cm over the water table. In the regions of Los Ríos and Los Lagos the same plots may be harvested after 12 years, while further south in Aysén and Magallanes 85 years have to pass before the same area is harvested again.References:
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