NOS Staffer Pens Chapter in New Book About Chile

December 22, 2008 — National Ocean Service International Program Office staffer Gonzalo Cid recently contributed a chapter to a book, “Visions from Finis Terrae: Chilean Voices in the United States.”

Moais (stone heads) view from the Rano Raraku quarry, Easter Island.
Photo credit: Gonzalo Cid, NOAA.

The new book was released in a ceremony held at the Inter-American Dialogue headquarters in Washington, D.C. Cid penned a chapter for the arts and science section with an essay on the marine environment of Chile’s Easter Island. The book was collaboratively edited by the Chilean Embassy in the U.S. and the Inter-American Dialogue.

The publication is intended for an English-speaking audience. It contains a collection of selected short essays by distinguished Chileans who have visited or lived in the U.S. Among the other prominent contributors to this book are the current and former presidents of Chile, the Secretary General of the Organization of American States, and the Chilean Ambassador to the U.S.

Gonzalo, a Chilean citizen, was asked in 2007 by a contact at the Chilean Embassy in Washington if he would like to make a presentation to introduce a photo exhibit on the marine biodiversity of Easter Island. Gonzalo had visited the remote island in 2004. The book chapter is the resulting paper Gonzalo wrote for this presentation.

“I am not an expert on the island’s marine biodiversity, but I strongly believe that this is a unique marine environment that, as only few others in the world, must – and still can – be protected from human intervention,” Gonzalo said.

Located about 2,236 miles west of Chile, Easter Island (Rapa Nui) is considered the most isolated inhabited island in the world. Few people outside of Chile even know that Easter Island is Chilean territory (since 1888).

Most people recognize the iconic moias (stone head carvings), but know little about the original inhabitants; their ancient story is one of the best-known examples in history of a self-destructive human society.

However, few are aware of the unique marine habitat that exists in the island's waters.

“Chile has a unique opportunity to initiate efforts to protect a marine ecosystem that, so far, has not been subject to intensive intervention or land-based pollution and, like few places in the world, is both a globally-recognized iconic island territory and a sensitive and highly endemic marine ecosystem,” Gonzalo said.

Gonzalo’s chapter points out that coastal biodiversity of Easter Island is relatively low compared to other Pacific regions because of oligotrophic (low nutrient concentration) waters, but many unique species are found there because of the island’s geographic isolation.

He also noted that human impact from land-based activities is low, but exploitation for aquariums and other commercial activities is increasing. The distance of the island from the mainland, the high percentage of endemic species, and the relative lack of human intervention have resulted in a fragile and vulnerable ecosystem.

He concludes that there is an increased need to develop an effective protection program and for additional research to protect this ecosystem from future destructive activities. 

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