In this episode of Smart Forests Radio, we speak with Simón Crisóstomo Loncopán, lonko (“chief” in Mapudungun) and president of the Mapuche Community for Territorial
Governance
in Curarrehue, Araucanía region, Wallmapu,
Chile
. Simón reflects on how leadership and governance processes have grown from within the
territory
, shaped by Mapuche political education, social movements and community
networks
spanning Latin America. Simón outlines the methodologies and technologies supporting territorial defence and forest stewardship, including Indigenous management plans for
fire
prevention and ecosystem
restoration
. The conversation spotlights
mapping
as a tool for protection and land claims, which becomes powerful when diverse perspectives work together, enabling
dialogue
with Mapuche communities and the state. He also explores how
drones
and three-dimensional imagery help move beyond an imposed view, offering new ways to see and connect with the territory.
Interviewers: Pablo González Rivas and Paula Tiara Torres
Producer: Harry Murdoch
Listen on Apple and Spotify
Language note: This interview takes place in Spanish.
This radio episode was produced by the Smart Forests project funded by the European Research Council. Smart Forests is led by Professor Jennifer Gabrys and is based in the Department of Sociology at the University of Cambridge.
Header image: Trawupeyum Intercultural Village in Curarrehue, Chile. Jennifer Gabrys, 2023.
Smart Forests Atlas materials are free to use for non-commercial purposes (with attribution) under a
CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license.
To cite this radio episode:
Crisóstomo Loncopán, Simón, Pablo González Rivas, and Paula Tiara Torres, "Simón Crisóstomo Loncopán: Mapuche Territorial Governance and Forest Restoration," Smart Forests Atlas (2026), https://atlas.smartforests.net/en/radio/simon-crisostomo-loncopan. DOI: 10.17863/CAM.129786.