Interview on Sustainability for the Juan Fernández Islands by Aylie Baker November 18th, 2010 Aylie Baker, is a 2009 graduate from Middlebury College. Native of Yarmouth, Maine, she has travelled around the world to island nations, researching and documenting sustainability issues facing the islands. She is one of ten fellowship recipients of the Middlebury College Fellowships in Environmental Journalism for 2010. Aylie is currently conducting her fellowship, focused on the “Effects of the recent Chilean tsunami on Robinson Crusoe’s Juan Fernandez islands”. The Fellowship Program Director is Bill McKibben, founder of 350.org.
1.
How did you first become involved with the Juan Fernández Islands and how did you become interested in sustainability affairs? Just by chance. Back in the summer of 1996 (I was 20), I came across a magazine article on the Juan Fernández Islands, featuring photographs by Nicolás Piwonka—a well-known professional shooter in Chile—and I instantly became attracted to the landscapes on the islands. Particularly the flora at that point; that green large-scale density (over 60% of the plants on the archipelago are “endemic” or unique to this ecosystem). I immediately knew I would head there as my next trip, and so I did, just with the goal of doing my own photo set. A year later I bought a plane ticket and embarked on a solo trip to Robinson Crusoe for about a month. Once there, I confirmed the beauty of the land, the uniqueness of the place and its natural resources but, frankly, I got fascinated by the people there. The islanders. I was an architecture student at Universidad de Chile at the time. While on the islands, I quickly saw an opportunity in combining my formal training in architecture and urban development with my interest in the natural environment, and the relationships between both. On 1998, I met Jaime Daroch, a professor in Urbanism at U. de Chile, who had written his own thesis on the islands exactly thirty years earlier (an incredible coincidence). He became my adviser and I began the research phase of my thesis, looking for best practices and methodologies in terms of this relationship between built and natural environments. It was then when I first came across the definition of Sustainable Development. A fairly new and precarious concept at the time, however, it literally seemed tailor-made for a place like the Juan Fernández Islands.
2.
I understand you wrote a thesis as a student of Architecture at University of Chile. Which were your main recommendations for Robinson Crusoe Island to turn this Biosphere reserve into a sustainable community? “Isla Robinson Crusoe, Presente y Futuro Urbano” is a holistic approach to understand the main island of the archipelago as a system. It first focused on inventorying (on-site) and diagnosing the state of all resources on the island: natural, economic, social, human, political, urban and physical. Only then I was able to revisit and compare the data available from 1968 and review the pro’s and con’s of the in-progress zoning code, to establish a set of 16 concrete measures to enable a sustainable future on Robinson Crusoe. Some of them may seem obvious today, but 10 years later hardly any of them have been put into practice—with the result that some of the problems have gotten worse. 1- Establish a Marine Restricted Zone, free from Commercial Fisheries, to ensure a long-term presence of lobster and other highly exploited marine species within the ecosystem.
2- Encourage diversification of productive activities on the Islands, in order to balance the local economy and provide alternative income sources to women. 3- Monitor and discourage the use of cars on the Islands. This thesis questions the need for a large number of automobiles on Robinson Crusoe and proposes to limit the arrival of cars based on an established quota or maximum load. At this point –more than a decade later—we see cars everywhere, including the municipal waste disposal grounds. There are alternative transportation systems that could work on the islands, such as funiculars and public shuttles and trucks, which, under a sound management program, could become an interesting source of income for the municipality. 4- Establish policies towards the usage of passive, clean and renewable energy. 5- Establish a self-sufficient waste management system that is community-based and begins its cycle with smart food and supply consumption (waste-reduction from the source). 6- Catastrophes and Contingencies. Strengthen and enforce safety on the islands through an elaborated Life Safety Plan that considers natural and anthropogenic disaster risk mitigation, as well as contingencies such as isolation and loss of connectivity. Evidently this involves urban planning and design as well. 7- Education. Establish high-school programs on the islands (only prep school available at the time) and take advantage of long-distance learning programs available for higher education and technical skills development on the community. 8- Heathcare Services. Build a modern facility with (at least) intermediate care capacity to increase health self-sufficiency and safety within the community. 9- Strengthen Local Identity, through education and grass-roots programs, that consolidate and ensure the sustainability of their cultural roots, traditions, heritage and unique livelihood habits. 10- Support National Integration, through outreach programs that allow the broader national to learn about the Juan Fernandez Islands, building national pride and encouraging exchange and participation towards the islands development as a whole. OF URBAN NATURE 11- Urban Consolidation. Avoid uncontrolled and extensive urban growth in favor of densification of the existing boundaries and the establishment of collective spaces that enable plurifunctional urban land use, where the availability to developable land is inherently scarce. 12- Revitalize historic sites and buildings to permanently include them within the urban-touristic circuits. There are many and they embody the diversity of cultures that have merged on Juan Fernåndez since their discovery in 1574. 13- Quality Enhancement, Expansion and Conservation of all open/public spaces and green urban/peri-urban areas, prioritizing the use of endemic and native flora. The objective is to increase the local community pride and identification with their own cultural and environmental roots.
14- Securing Long Term Access to and Conservation of Public/Collective Spaces as the main substrate to the island’s community-living habits and social interaction patterns. This point aims at the preservation of San Juan Bautista’s special and cultural values for future generations. 15- Develop and uphold Policies that aim at Preventing Urban Decay and Destruction (natural disasters), which involve community development, consolidation of the built environment, resource/waste management, economic and productive autonomy, among other factors. In the long run, the objective is to keep a healthy growing city on the islands and prevent emigration due to lack of opportunities and/or unbalanced livelihood standards. 16- Promote a Sustainable Livelihood Patterns, through the promotion of environmental values within the local communities, to help them become protectors of their land and stewards of their own future. 3.
After the tsunami, what would be your recommendations for the local community in the process of livelihood recovery and rebuilding process? I understand you have conducted a few community workshops on sustainable livelihood on the islands after the tsunami. What were those workshops focused on? Right now, islanders are facing very complex times. I think the biggest challenge here is to deal with the community’s collective mindset. With the tsunami of Feb-27, the center of gravity of the whole community shifted. In my opinion, the first step is for them to acknowledge the change, learn from it and explore new avenues of thinking and perceiving the use of their land, that enables and ensures a more sustainable livelihood but first and foremost that is a safer one. This is not easy, considering the emotional debacle that human losses brought to some individuals and their families; a memory that is hard to cope with. Some members of the community cope with this situation in a more inflexible way, recognizing now, in themselves, the “survivor culture", founded by the first islanders (castaways) of the Juan Fernandez Islands—their ancestors—and want to prove that they can or feel the need go back and rebuild in the same areas that were devastated by the tsunami. As executive director at global-nomad, our mission is to enable enlightened global connections, protecting local heritage. Since Feb-28—and with 10-year relationship with the islands—we have worked on a systemic sustainable livelihood recovery vision for devastated San Juan Bautista. The outcome of this work is a vision named Juan Fernández SOStenible. As part of the Juan Fernández SOStenible strategy, we decided to take a hands-on approach and conduct volunteer community outreach workshops on the islands, to provide a strong holistic vision of what sustainability is and what it could mean for the community (compatible with their approach to conservation on the islands, Oikonos kindly shared part of their tsunami-relief fund to support the airfare cost on this initiative). The focus of these workshops was mostly on understanding the benefits of systems thinking and innovative/transformative change as an opportunity derived from the disaster, under the umbrella of sustainable development. The first part of the workshops included concepts of sustainability, ecology, urban ecology, systems thinking, systemic disaster mitigation planning (based on ECLAC’s recommendations), innovation and transformative change. This was key to establish a basis of knowledge within the community as a whole. The second part of the workshops aimed at openly exposing and explaining the environmental and physical challenges that the local community faces today, while focusing on creating consensus on the potential for a sustainable model in the future of Juan Fernández. We talked about urban
consolidation, the benefits of collective space, natural/urban/agricultural integration, and sustainable and systemic methodologies towards risk, water, waste, energy and food management. We also talked about cooperatives and the fundamental role of the community in a sustainable model like such. 4.
I have read on “El Mercurio” (main local newpaper) that, in your opinion, the potential decrease of stormwater due to Climate Change is likely to affect the Islands in the near future. Could you please elaborate on this? Drinking Water is and will increasingly be a scarce resource worldwide overtime. And Islands in areas of the globe where precipitation is estimated to decrease overtime due to Climate Change will have a harder time dealing with this issue. “When the Well is Dry, we Know the Worth of Water” –Benjamin Franklin According to scientific assessments on the effects of Climate Change in Chile, conducted by the Department of Geophysics at Universidad de Chile, the central area of the country (land and ocean) will be affected by a decrease in annual precipitation of up to 30% by 2100. This is very relevant for Juan Fernández and their capacity to ensure access to drinkable water for the local community at all times throughout the year. By the same token, the absence of any sort of stormwater management system on the islands makes for a very inefficient strategy towards this resource and its potential deficit. Of all 12 runoffs that feed San Juan Bautista, only two to three of them provide a permanent supply of fresh water throughout the year and, in all cases, their volume of flow depends on precipitation. While currently the annual precipitation rates on the islands reach up to 1,000mm, with less precipitation permanent runoffs may also become intermittent, decreasing the accessibility to drinkable water. A very important aspect regarding stormwater management efficiency on the island is the proliferation of invasive species like the Eucaliptus, especially those nearby runoffs. This species consumes high quantities of the available water for irrigation due to its significantly superficial roots. This is a problem in terms of runoff volumes of flow but also it is a huge competition for native and endemic species, which literally suffocate due to lack of water. Ironically, the Eucaliptus is the preferred source of material in the community for the fabrication of lobster traps—fishery constitutes 70% of the island’s income—and has surprisingly been recognized by our partners at Oikonos, as a thriving environment for the endangered Juan Fernández Firecrown, an endemic species ranked critically endangered by Birdlife International. This evidence embodies the complexity of this ecosystem, and that is where understanding the dynamic balance is so important. Finally, untreated pollution of urban runoffs—sedimentation and effluents—is a major threat for the aquatic ecosystems on Cumberland Bay. Right now, there is no mitigation measures associated to this problem and untreated/contaminated water is discharging directly to sea. International scientific studies recognize a relationship between ocean water turbidity and fish behavior in marine systems, stating that extended exposure to water turbidly may result in altered behavior to death, depending on the time lapse.
5.
Is it realistic to imagine a self-sustained community on Robinson Crusoe? Or do you believe that they will always depend on the continent in terms of resources and supplies? Was there ever a time when life on the islands was truly sustainable? Yes, it is certainly realistic and possible. Juan Fernández is a great prospect to become a selfsustained community. In fact, to a great extent they need to shift in that direction. Paradoxically, the
main catalyzer (and main obstacle) to that potential is, of course, the community itself. Before being able to establish any kind of sustainable development model on the islands, the desire needs to grow organically within the roots of the local community, as a result of informative processes like the workshops we conducted on Robinson Crusoe in October. It is unlikely that a community like such switch paths without the support of knowledge and financial incentives, especially because it obviously appears more comfortable to keep running business as usual and, for example, wait for the monthly ship to bring provisions, while only 5% of the local consumption of vegetables is produced locally. Campaigns like “Eat Local” in Portland, OR are crucial in a case like this, to increase their self sufficiency while achieving more balanced and healthier diet habits. Your second question is great and very timely. Two of five groups attending our workshops mentioned how they remember that, not long ago (less than 30 years) before the ship would supply the community on a regular and more frequent basis, their grandparents had to work with what was readily available and creatively produce what was not—for themselves and their families to subsist. Living on the islands then was not very different from being castaways. How do you survive being a castaway? The key to a future sustainable community on the Juan Fernández Islands lies in their own family heritage. A significant community-wide introspection process would help them find most of the answers (about who they want to be and need to become) in their own history. 6.
In writing a future development plan for the Islands on your thesis, what did you base on and what models did you follow? Is there a replicable model? At the time when “Isla Robinson Crusoe, Presente y Futuro Urbano” was written and developed (19982000) I couldn’t find adequate or elaborated holistic sustainable models available that were fully applicable in Juan Fernández. All you could find were tidbits and successful stories like Galapagos, where measures had been taken to reduce tourism and population; however, you could not consider this to be a sustainable “model”. Not a holistic one at least. Things have changed a lot in the past 10 years, however, and at this point there you can find models that have been successful at different levels and with all kinds of budgets. What is very important, though, is to define what is the most suitable model for these particular Islands. It needs to emerge from overlapping all the involved interests, challenges and needs; being these global and local, national and regional, environmental and financial, social and natural, political and physical. In summary, systemic balance should be an aspiration and a priority for the Juan Fernandez Islands, and it needs to reflect on all aspects of this complex ecosystem.
7.
The Ecology on the Juan Fernández Islands is very fragile and it is at risk, under the influence of invasive species, the shrinkage of the endemic forest due to competition, waste, etc. What is theoretically the maximum size that the community could reach? The Juan Fernández islands have been considered one of the 12 most threatened National Parks. The Alliance for Zero Extinction targeted the archipelago as a priority site on 2002: 52% of native plants are extinct, critically endangered or endangered: 83% of these are endemic (unique to the islands). 73% of native birds are endangered/threatened: 90% of these are endemic. As far as an exact amount, I am not certain about the maximum load that Robinson Crusoe could currently support; this has changed significantly after the tsunami. In my opinion the carrying capacity of a human settlement depends fundamentally on the behavior and habits of the community
that is settled in that territory, and secondarily on the size of such community, especially on Robinson Crusoe, where the natural increase, while positive, is fairly slow. The concept of community is one of the main pillars of Sustainability. It is necessary for them to become stewards of their land and resources and creators of their own future, managing their own resources properly and efficiently. So far, the community as a whole has not taken that role, and I include the local government as a fundamental part of community. For example, the water consumption of the approximately 700-member-community on San Juan Bautista accounts for double the expectable volumes for their population: that is they consume as much water as a 1,400-member community. Not only you need to provide access to drinkable water through an efficient and healthy system (inefficient and deficient from a sanitary stand point right now) but you need to orient the community about the inconveniences of wasting such resource, via public policies and social outreach, among other channels. Many of these issues were discussed throughout our workshops, which became an unexpected and greatly appreciated community forum. It became the first opportunity available for them to discuss and ponder these problems collectively after the tsunami on Feb-27. In addition to these workshops, we were invited to talk about sustainability matters and systems thinking towards reconstruction on local radio. It was a great experience. 8.
As an architect and environmentalist, what is the most sustainable place in Chile? Or in Santiago? Chile offers a great substrate for sustainable models to develop and thrive. I believe that an environmentally conscious mindset is beginning to impact decision makers and businesses at many levels as a result of the influence of a global trend in that direction. It is a good start. However I also believe that the discussion of “what is Sustainability in Chile” has not taken place and therefore consensus in that sense has not been built yet. Some people think sustainability is about placing solar panels on your roof, others think it’s about recycling… true sustainability is about lifestyle and about cultural adaptation. Regionalism is a huge factor in sustainability. For a country that is over 2,600 miles long we have very diverse climate and geographic conditions due to latitude. Water, for example, is a resource that should be managed not only as a state-matter but as part of a community long-term issue.
Alimentación
Agua
Deshechos
INTEGRACIÓN E INNOVACIÓN Vegetación
Energía
Estructuras
Right now, we are lucky to have some backup water in the shape of ice up the peaks of the Andes, however, valid studies on climate change (conducted by Universidad de Chile ) forecast a very significant loss of ice in the next century, due to temperature rise, which will affect the albedo (or reflection coefficient) capacity of our mountain surfaces. No ice/snow, no reflection, temperature rises. It’s a case of “the chicken or the egg” type of situation. With the addition of decreased precipitation levels (up to 15 to 30%) in the next century, we should be looking at consumption habits adaptation as we speak… Now, water is not the only issue. As a general concept, we should be looking at rational resource and waste management programs that aim at closing resource/waste cycles, as part of a “system of closed-circuit systems”. Education in this sense is of the essence.
9.
Islands have a charm, a mystery that has been explored by philosophers, anthropologists and scientists throughout history. Utopia was an island… What does Robinson Crusoe Island offer in order to support and require a project like this? What an Island of this kind offers towards a unique systemic sustainable model is: 1. 2. 3. 4.
5. 6.
Its geographic size, which is measurable and has been well studied. The global relevance of its natural resources. The size of its community, which is measurable too, and fairly receptive to sustainability concepts. The extremity and scarcity of their resources, which limits the capacity for human beings to live and thrive there. A condition that is inherent to any populated island (not very different from “a planet” if you will). Its vulnerability to natural disasters. And so on…
The clear bottom-line as far as this opportunity is Robinson Crusoe offers a sense of “isolated laboratory” that sums up many or most of the environmental, social, financial, political, physical and human problems that our planet, as a whole, faces, at a small geographic and human scale. But more importantly, the wellbeing and security of the islands’ community needs to be consolidated and reestablished—as a sense of intergenerational justice—under the umbrella of a systemic vision, based on the following main pillars:
SEGURIDAD
MEDIO AMBIENTE
AUTONOMÍA
IDENTIDAD