The Mapuche Huilliche are protesting the Chilean Government's plan to build a coastal highway through their territories. The Mapuche Huilliche live in the Valdivia forest, situated in the Coastal Cordillera, on the South Pacific coast of Chile. The Coastal Cordillera is considered one of the most diverse ecosystems in Latin America,harboring a number of rare plant and animal species. A number of large forestry companies have vigorously supported the proposed 320-kilometer highway, hoping to increase the range of monoculture tree plantations that have been encroaching on the Mapuche territory for years. The Mapuche Huilliche peoples contend that their life and cultural preservation lies with the protection of the forests, and that the highway would have disastrous impacts on both the land and people.
