The author considers that in situ conservation of native Chilean tree species in managed forests is not a good alternative, as management for productive purposes will reduce diversity in stands, and will decrease the number of tree species of interest in future generations. For reasons outlined above, it is considered necessary to urgently complement in situ conservation with ex situ conservation strategies. There are certain basic aspects which must be known prior to starting a conservation programme. It is not known whether present populations of Nothofagus are highly structured according to relatedness or not. In structured populations there are more homozygous individuals than in those resulting from panmixes, not only because of selfing but also because of skewed distribution of male gamets.
Nothofagus species are monoecious and highly outbreeding.
Nothofagus species are wind pollinated wild species and it is thought that levels of gene flow are very high, leading to high levels of heterozygosity. These questions are in need of investigation. Electrophoretic studies have not been carried out in Nothofagus species, and molecular level variation within populations is therefore not known. Studies have been carried out based on morphological traits. No studies have to date been carried out at molecular level using isozyme studies.