Editing Tierra del Fuego (section)

=== Flora ===

Only 30% of the islands have forests, which are classified as [[Magellanic subpolar forests|Magellanic subpolar]]. The northeastern portion of the region is made up of steppe and cool semi-desert.

Six species of tree are found in Tierra del Fuego: canelo or winter's bark (''[[Drimys winteri]]''); ''[[Maytenus magellanica]]''; ''[[Pilgerodendron|Pilgerodendron uviferum]]'', the southernmost conifer in the world; and three kinds of [[Nothofagus|southern beech]]: ''[[Nothofagus antarctica]]''; ''[[Nothofagus pumilio]]''; and the evergreen ''[[Nothofagus betuloides]]''. Several kinds of fruit grow in open spaces in these forests, such as [[beach strawberry]] (''Fragaria chiloensis'' var. ''chiloensis'' forma ''chiloensis'') and [[calafate]] (''Berberis buxifolia''), which have long been gathered by both Native Americans and residents of European descent.<ref>Martínez Crovetto, Raúl. 1968. ''Estudios Etnobotánicos. Nombres de plantas y su utilidad según los indios Onas de Tierra del Fuego'', Revista de la Facultad de Agronomía y Veterinaria de la Universidad del Nordeste, Corrientes, Argentina</ref>

They are the only forests in the world to have developed in a climate with such cold summers. Tree cover extends very close to the southernmost tip of South America. Winds are so strong that trees in wind-exposed areas grow into twisted shapes, inspiring people to call them "flag-trees". Tree vegetation extends to the southern tip of the region, [[Isla Hornos]], although the [[Wollaston Islands]] are mostly covered by subantarctic [[tundra]] except in wind sheltered areas where the trees can survive.

<gallery class="center" caption="Flora in Tierra del Fuego" widths="180px">
File:Drimys winteri.jpg|''[[Drimys winteri]]'' flowers
File:Nothofagus antarctica D.jpg|''[[Nothofagus antarctica]]''
File:Nothofagus pumilio.jpg|''[[Nothofagus pumilio]]''
File:Nothofagus betuloides.jpg|''[[Nothofagus betuloides]]''
</gallery>

Forests from Tierra del Fuego have expanded beyond local importance. These forests have been a source of trees that have been transplanted abroad in places with similar climate, but which originally were devoid of trees, such as the [[Faroe Islands]] and nearby archipelagos. Most species were gathered from the coldest places in Tierra del Fuego, mainly sites with tundra borders. This effort resulted in positive changes, as the heavy winds and cool summers in the Faroe Islands did not allow the growth of trees from other regions in the world. The imported trees are used ornamentally, as curtains against wind, and to fight erosion caused by storms and grazing in the Faroe Islands.<ref>Højgaard, A., J. Jóhansen, and S. Ødum (eds) 1989. ''A Century of Tree Planting in the Faroe Islands'', Føroya Frodskaparfelag, Tórshavn.</ref>