Titling forested land outside protected areas through possessory information proceedingsTitulación de terrenos con bosque fuera de áreas protegidas mediante información posesoria

III- Regarding the matter of the possibility for private individuals to register properties covered by forests located on untitled lands, this Tribunal has resolved: " In connection with the arguments presented by the state representation, linked to the state's forest patrimony (patrimonial forestal del estado), it is appropriate to make a brief reference on the subject. To that end, it is opportune to cite Voto Nº51 of 15 hours 15 minutes of May 26, 1995 of the Sala Primera de la Corte Suprema de Justicia, which, in what is relevant, states: " IX.- The forest patrimony of the State includes the entire national territory (Articles 4, 32 to 42), which in turn can be subdivided into three areas: A) That comprised by the forest regime (régimen forestal) (Articles 1, 2, 7, 47 to 54, 66 to 81) B) Forest harvesting (aprovechamientos forestales) on privately owned lands (Articles 43 to 46, 60 to 65, 82 to 91); and C) the national reserves (reservas nacionales) (Articles 32 et seq.)...... In general, these reserves have had limits for possessing them, as well as limits —regarding surface area— for being registered through possessory informations (informaciones posesorias). .... XI.- In a diametrically opposed position to that of the national reserves is that of private property, designated in the law as 'On the harvesting of the forest resource on privately owned lands.' These lands, for reasons of social order, form part of the State's forest patrimony. This is so because private parties —operating under any system (agricultural or livestock enterprise, for parceling or colonization, whether nationals or foreigners)— if their work plans include forest exploitation or the elimination of the forest, in any form, must necessarily obtain express approval from the Dirección General Forestal, under the terms of the Ley Forestal and its regulations (Article 60). Therefore, the State's forest patrimony is applicable to all national properties where forest natural resources exist. In order to exploit their own timber resources, private parties must prepare technical forest plans, and the directorate will grant them long-term concessions (Article 61). The foregoing implies a voluntary submission to the forest regime. This is a legal presumption since it is the private party's only alternative, as they are prevented from felling trees, harvesting, or exploiting forest products within their own property, if there is no prior authorization from the Dirección General Forestal (Articles 63 and 65)..... From the foregoing, it follows that the State's forest patrimony involves those real estate properties not subject to private property, not registered in the Public Registry of Property (Registro Público de la Propiedad), under the terms of Articles 267 and 486 of the Civil Code (Código Civil), according to the reference made to what was indicated by the Sala Constitucional de la Corte Suprema de Justicia. Alongside this patrimony, private property also exists. Over the evolution of forest legislation, the opportunity was granted to possessors of rural land (fundos) who had already consolidated their property right by adverse possession (usucapión) to title them. This possibility is provided through compliance with the requirements of the Ley de Informaciones Posesorias, and for this reason, it is expressly authorized to title lands located in protected wilderness areas (áreas silvestres protegidas), whatever their management category, to obtain a title registerable in the Public Registry, upon the applicant proving possession of more than 10 years before the effective date of the law or decree that created said wilderness area (Articles 1 and 7 of the Ley de Informaciones Posesorias). (Voto 100-F-09 of the Tribunal Agrario). And regarding the public-domain character (carácter demanial) of forests and the impossibility of titling them through the Ley de Informaciones Posesorias, this instance has declared: “The Tribunal does not share this criterion, considering that a release of such properties from public domain (desafectación) occurred with the entry into force of the current Ley Forestal, which amended Article 7 of the Ley de Informaciones Posesorias. That provision, regarding properties with forest located outside of protected wilderness areas, states: '... Properties located outside of those areas and which have forests may only be titled if the applicant proves to be the holder of the legal rights of ten-year possession (posesión decenal), exercised for at least ten years, and to have protected that natural resource, on the understanding that the real estate must be duly demarcated and with fences or clean lanes (cercas o carriles limpios).' The constitutionality of said provision and of the interpretation given at some point by this Tribunal was challenged on constitutional grounds, a petition that generated the issuance of Voto 4587-97 of the Sala Constitucional, precisely cited by the appellant. In said voto, the Sala declared the constitutionality of the provision, maintaining its validity. Given this situation, what is appropriate in this case is to confirm the decision of the Judge, since the applicant has accredited compliance with the requirements established by that article, namely: ten-year possession, protection of the natural resource, and the delimitation of the real estate by means of fences or clean lanes”.” <span style="font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold; color:#010101">“III- </span><span style="font-family:Arial; color:#010101">Regarding the matter of the possibility for private individuals to register lands covered by forests located on untitled properties, this Tribunal has ruled: </span><span style="font-family:Arial; font-style:italic; color:#010101">"Related to the arguments presented by the state representation, concerning the state's forest heritage (patrimonial forestal del estado), it is appropriate to make a brief reference on the subject. For this purpose, it is timely to cite ruling (voto) No. 51 of 15:15 hours on May 26, 1995, of the First Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice, which, in what is relevant, states: "IX.- The forest heritage of the State includes the entire national territory (Articles 4, 32 to 42), which in turn can be subdivided into three areas: A) That covered by the forestry regime (Articles 1, 2, 7, 47 to 54, 66 to 81); B) Forest uses on privately owned lands (Articles 43 to 46, 60 to 65, 82 to 91); and C) The national reserves (Articles 32 et seq.)...... In general, these reserves have had limits on possessing them, as well as limits —regarding surface area— for being registered through possessory information proceedings (informaciones posesorias). .... XI.- In a position diametrically opposed to that of the national reserves is that of private property, referred to in the law as 'On the use of forest resources on privately owned lands.' These lands, for reasons of social interest, form part of the forest heritage of the State. This is so because private parties —operating under any system (agricultural or livestock enterprise, for subdivision (parcelación) or colonization, whether nationals or foreigners)— if their work plans include forestry exploitation or the elimination of the forest, in any form, must necessarily obtain express approval from the National Forestry Directorate (Dirección General Forestal), under the terms of the Forest Law (Ley Forestal) and its regulation (Article 60). Therefore, the forest heritage of the State applies to all national assets where forest natural resources exist. In order to exploit their own timber resources, private parties must prepare technical forestry plans, and the Directorate will grant them long-term concessions (Article 61). The foregoing implies a voluntary submission to the forestry regime. This is a legal presumption as it turns out to be the only alternative for the private party who is prevented from felling trees, using or exploiting forest products, within their own property, without prior authorization from the National Forestry Directorate (Articles 63 and 65)..... From the above, it follows that the forest heritage of the State refers to real estate not subject to private property, not registered in the Public Property Registry, under the terms of Articles 267 and 486 of the Civil Code, according to the reference made regarding what was indicated by the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice. Alongside this heritage, there is also private property. Throughout the evolution of forestry legislation, the opportunity was granted to possessors of landholdings who had already consolidated their property right by adverse possession (usucapión) to title them. That possibility is provided through the fulfillment of the requirements of the Law of Possessory Information Proceedings (Ley de Informaciones Posesorias), and for this reason it is expressly authorized to title lands located in protected wilderness areas, whatever their management category, to obtain a title registrable in the Public Registry, upon the applicant proving possession of more than 10 years prior to the effective date of the law or decree creating such wilderness area (Articles 1 and 7 of the Law of Possessory Information Proceedings)</span><span style="font-family:Arial; color:#010101">. (ruling 100-F-09 of the Agrarian Tribunal). And with respect to the public domain (demanial) character of forests and the impossibility of titling them through the Law of Possessory Information Proceedings, this instance has declared: “</span><span style="font-family:Arial; font-style:italic; color:#010101">The Tribunal does not share that criterion, considering that a removal of said assets from the public domain (desafectación) occurred with the entry into force of the current Forest Law, which reformed Article 7 of the Law of Possessory Information Proceedings. Said norm, regarding properties with forests located outside of protected wilderness areas, states: '... Farms located outside those areas and that have forests may only be titled if the applicant proves to be the holder of the legal rights of ten-year possession, exercised for at least ten years, and to have protected that natural resource, on the understanding that the property must be properly demarcated and with fences or clean lanes.'</span><span style="font-family:Arial; font-style:italic; color:#010101"> </span><span style="font-family:Arial; font-style:italic; color:#010101"> The constitutionality of said norm and of the interpretation given at some point by this Tribunal was challenged on constitutional grounds, a proceeding that generated the issuance of Constitutional Chamber ruling 4587-97, precisely cited by the appellant. In said ruling, the Chamber declared the constitutionality of the norm, maintaining its validity. Given this situation, the appropriate course in this case is to confirm what was resolved by the Judge, as the applicant has accredited the fulfillment of the requirements set forth in that article, namely: ten-year possession, protection of the natural resource, and the delimitation of the property by means of fences or clean lanes</span><span style="font-family:Arial; color:#010101">”. (Ruling 573-F-09)”</span>

“III- Respecto al tema de la posibilidad de los particulares de inscribir bienes cubiertos por bosques ubicados en terrenos no titulados, este Tribunal ha resuelto: " Relacionado con lo expuesto por la representación estatal, vinculada con el patrimonial forestal del estado, resulta oportuno hacer una breve referencia sobre el tema. Para ello, es oportuno citar el voto Nº51 de las 15 horas 15 minutos del 26 de mayo de 1995 de la Sala Primera de la Corte Suprema de Justicia, el cual en lo que interesa indica: " IX.- El patrimonio forestal del Estado incluye a todo el territorio nacional (artículos 4, 32 al 42), el cual a su vez se puede subdividir en tres áreas: A) La comprendida por el régimen forestal (artículos l, 2, 7, 47 a 54, 66 al 81) B) Los aprovechamientos forestales en terrenos de propiedad privada (artículos 43 al 46, 60 al 65, 82 al 91); y C) las reservas nacionales (artículos 32 y siguientes)...... En general esas reservas han tenido límites para poseerlas, así como límites -en cuanto a la superficie- para ser inscritas por medio de informaciones posesorias. .... XI.- En una posición diametralmente opuesta a la de las reservas nacionales se encuentra la de la propiedad privada, denominada en la ley como "Del aprovechamiento del recurso forestal en terrenos de propiedad privada". Estas tierras, por intereses de orden social, forman parte del patrimonio forestal del Estado. Esto es así porque los privados -funcionando bajo cualquier sistema (empresa agrícola o ganadera, para parcelación o colonización, tratándose de nacionales o extranjeros)- si dentro de sus planes de trabajo está la explotación forestal o la eliminación del bosque, en cualquier forma, deberán necesariamente obtener aprobación expresa de la Dirección General Forestal, en los términos de la Ley Forestal y del reglamento a la misma (artículo 60). Por ello el patrimonio forestal del Estado es aplicable a todos los bienes nacionales donde existan recursos naturales forestales. Para poder explotar sus propios recursos maderables los privados deben elaborar planes técnicos forestales, y la dirección les otorgará concesiones a largo plazo (artículo 6l). Lo anterior implica un sometimiento voluntario al régimen forestal. Esta es una presunción legal pues resulta ser la única alternativa del privado quien se encuentra impedido para talar árboles, aprovechar o explotar los productos forestales, dentro de su mismo bien, si previamente no hay autorización de la Dirección General Forestal (artículo 63 y 65)..... De lo anterior se desprende, el patrimonio forestal del Estado, se trata de los inmuebles no sometidos a propiedad privada, no inscritos en el Registro Público de la Propiedad, en los términos de los artículos 267 y 486 del Código Civil, según la referencia que se hace sobre lo indicado por la Sala Constitucional de la Corte Suprema de Justicia. Frente a este patrimonio, se encuentra también la propiedad privada. La cual a lo largo de la evolución de la legislación forestal se concedió la oportunidad a poseedores de fundos, que ya habían consolidado su derecho de propiedad por usucapión a titularlos. Esa posibilidad se da a través del cumplimiento de los requisitos de la Ley de Informaciones Posesorias, y por ello se autoriza de manera expresa a titular terrenos ubicados en áreas silvestres protegidas cualquiera que sea su categoría de manejo a obtener título inscribible en el Registro Público, al comprobar el titulante de una posesión de más de 10 años antes de la fecha de vigencia de la ley o decreto en que se cree tal área silvestre (artículo 1 y 7 de la Ley de Informaciones Posesorias). ( voto 100-F-09 del Tribunal Agrario). Y con respecto al carácter demanial de los bosques y la imposibilidad de titularlos mediante la Ley de Informaciones Posesorias, esta instancia ha declarado: “El Tribunal no comparte ese criterio, al estimar se dio una desafectación de dichos bienes con la entrada en vigencia de la Ley Forestal vigente, la cual reformó el artículo 7 de la Ley de Informaciones Posesorias. Dicha norma, en lo referente a las propiedades con bosque, ubicadas fuera de las áreas silvestres protegidas, señala: "... Las fincas ubicadas fuera de esas áreas y que tengan bosques, sólo podrán ser tituladas si el promovente demuestra ser el titular de los derechos legales de posesión decenal, ejercida por lo menos durante diez años y haber protegido ese recurso natural, en el entendido de que el inmueble tendrá que estar debidamente deslindado y con cercas o carriles limpios." La constitucionalidad de dicha norma y de la interpretación dada en algún momento por este Tribunal fue cuestionada de constitucionalidad, gestión que generó la emisión del voto de la Sala Constitucional 4587-97, precisamente citado por la recurrente. En dicho voto la Sala declaró la constitucionalidad de la norma, manteniendo su vigencia. Ante tal situación, lo procedente en este caso es confirmar lo resuelto por el Juzgador, al haber acreditado el promovente el cumplimiento de los requisitos que dispone ese artículo, a saber: la posesión decenal, protección del recurso natural y la delimitación del inmueble mediante cercas o carriles limpios”. (Voto 573-F-09)”