The Chilean government's National Forestry Corporation approved the cutting of 2,700 native trees in the Santiago Metropolitan Park, the capital's biggest “green lung”, in order to make way for a 21.5-km highway. In August, the Itinera group — affiliate of the Spanish firm Sacyr — in charge of the project, cut down 1,300 exotic tree species in the park, with the promise to replant more than 20,000 trees.

“Many species of flora and fauna will disappear, there will be fewer herbaceous plants, bushes and bird nesting areas,” to the detriment of Santiago itself, which already suffers severe air pollution, said Flavia Liberona, coordinator of the Native Forest Network.

Work began on the highway in 2005 and is slated for completion in 2008. The route will connect the Santiago communities of Vitacura (population 81,499) and Huechuraba (74,070), at a cost of more than 200 million dollars.