Interview on Sustainability for the Juan Fernández Islandsby Aylie Baker November 18th, 2010

Aylie Baker, is a 2009 graduate from Middlebury College. Native of Yarmouth, Maine, she has travelledaround the world to island nations, researching and documenting sustainability issues facing theislands. She is one of ten fellowship recipients of the Middlebury College Fellowships in EnvironmentalJournalism for 2010. Aylie is currently conducting her fellowship, focused on the “Effects of the recentChilean tsunami on Robinson Crusoe’s Juan Fernandez islands”. The Fellowship Program Director is BillMcKibben, founder of 350.org.

1. How did you first become involved with the Juan Fernández Islands and how did you becomeinterested in sustainability affairs?

Just by chance. Back in the summer of 1996 (I was 20), I came across a magazine article on the JuanFernández Islands, featuring photographs by Nicolás Piwonka—a well-known professional shooter inChile—and I instantly became attracted to the landscapes on the islands. Particularly the flora at thatpoint; that green large-scale density (over 60% of the plants on the archipelago are “endemic” orunique to this ecosystem). I immediately knew I would head there as my next trip, and so I did, justwith the goal of doing my own photo set. A year later I bought a plane ticket and embarked on a solotrip to Robinson Crusoe for about a month. Once there, I confirmed the beauty of the land, theuniqueness 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 sawan opportunity in combining my formal training in architecture and urban development with myinterest in the natural environment, and the relationships between both. On 1998, I met JaimeDaroch, a professor in Urbanism at U. de Chile, who had written his own thesis on the islands exactlythirty years earlier (an incredible coincidence). He became my adviser and I began the researchphase of my thesis, looking for best practices and methodologies in terms of this relationshipbetween built and natural environments. It was then when I first came across the definition ofSustainable Development. A fairly new and precarious concept at the time, however, it literallyseemed 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 yourmain recommendations for Robinson Crusoe Island to turn this Biosphere reserve into a sustainablecommunity?

“Isla Robinson Crusoe, Presente y Futuro Urbano” is a holistic approach to understand the main islandof the archipelago as a system. It first focused on inventorying (on-site) and diagnosing the state ofall resources on the island: natural, economic, social, human, political, urban and physical. Only then Iwas able to revisit and compare the data available from 1968 and review the pro’s and con’s of thein-progress zoning code, to establish a set of 16 concrete measures to enable a sustainable future onRobinson Crusoe. Some of them may seem obvious today, but 10 years later hardly any of them havebeen 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-termpresence of lobster and other highly exploited marine species within the ecosystem.

2- Encourage diversification of productive activities on the Islands, in order to balance thelocal 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 alarge number of automobiles on Robinson Crusoe and proposes to limit the arrival of cars basedon an established quota or maximum load. At this point –more than a decade later—we see carseverywhere, including the municipal waste disposal grounds. There are alternativetransportation systems that could work on the islands, such as funiculars and public shuttles andtrucks, which, under a sound management program, could become an interesting source ofincome 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 itscycle with smart food and supply consumption (waste-reduction from the source).

6- Catastrophes and Contingencies. Strengthen and enforce safety on the islands through anelaborated Life Safety Plan that considers natural and anthropogenic disaster risk mitigation, aswell as contingencies such as isolation and loss of connectivity. Evidently this involves urbanplanning and design as well.

7- Education. Establish high-school programs on the islands (only prep school available at thetime) and take advantage of long-distance learning programs available for higher education andtechnical skills development on the community.

8- Heathcare Services. Build a modern facility with (at least) intermediate care capacity toincrease health self-sufficiency and safety within the community.

9- Strengthen Local Identity, through education and grass-roots programs, that consolidate andensure the sustainability of their cultural roots, traditions, heritage and unique livelihood habits.

10- Support National Integration, through outreach programs that allow the broader national tolearn about the Juan Fernandez Islands, building national pride and encouraging exchange andparticipation towards the islands development as a whole.

OF URBAN NATURE11- Urban Consolidation. Avoid uncontrolled and extensive urban growth in favor of densification

of the existing boundaries and the establishment of collective spaces that enable plurifunctionalurban land use, where the availability to developable land is inherently scarce.

12- Revitalize historic sites and buildings to permanently include them within the urban-touristiccircuits. There are many and they embody the diversity of cultures that have merged on JuanFernández since their discovery in 1574.

13- Quality Enhancement, Expansion and Conservation of all open/public spaces and greenurban/peri-urban areas, prioritizing the use of endemic and native flora. The objective is toincrease the local community pride and identification with their own cultural and environmentalroots.

14- Securing Long Term Access to and Conservation of Public/Collective Spaces as the mainsubstrate to the island’s community-living habits and social interaction patterns. This point aimsat 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 (naturaldisasters), which involve community development, consolidation of the built environment,resource/waste management, economic and productive autonomy, among other factors. In thelong run, the objective is to keep a healthy growing city on the islands and prevent emigrationdue to lack of opportunities and/or unbalanced livelihood standards.

16- Promote a Sustainable Livelihood Patterns, through the promotion of environmental valueswithin the local communities, to help them become protectors of their land and stewards of theirown future.

3. After the tsunami, what would be your recommendations for the local community in the process oflivelihood recovery and rebuilding process? I understand you have conducted a few communityworkshops on sustainable livelihood on the islands after the tsunami. What were those workshopsfocused on?

Right now, islanders are facing very complex times. I think the biggest challenge here is to deal withthe community’s collective mindset. With the tsunami of Feb-27, the center of gravity of the wholecommunity shifted. In my opinion, the first step is for them to acknowledge the change, learn from itand explore new avenues of thinking and perceiving the use of their land, that enables and ensures amore sustainable livelihood but first and foremost that is a safer one. This is not easy, considering theemotional debacle that human losses brought to some individuals and their families; a memory thatis hard to cope with. Some members of the community cope with this situation in a more inflexibleway, 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 feelthe 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 haveworked on a systemic sustainable livelihood recovery vision for devastated San Juan Bautista. Theoutcome 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 andconduct volunteer community outreach workshops on the islands, to provide a strong holistic visionof what sustainability is and what it could mean for the community (compatible with their approachto conservation on the islands, Oikonos kindly shared part of their tsunami-relief fund to support theairfare cost on this initiative). The focus of these workshops was mostly on understanding thebenefits of systems thinking and innovative/transformative change as an opportunity derivedfrom the disaster, under the umbrella of sustainable development.

The first part of the workshops included concepts of sustainability, ecology, urban ecology, systemsthinking, systemic disaster mitigation planning (based on ECLAC’s recommendations), innovationand transformative change. This was key to establish a basis of knowledge within the community as awhole.

The second part of the workshops aimed at openly exposing and explaining the environmental andphysical challenges that the local community faces today, while focusing on creating consensus onthe 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, andsustainable 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 modellike such.

4. I have read on “El Mercurio” (main local newpaper) that, in your opinion, the potential decrease ofstormwater due to Climate Change is likely to affect the Islands in the near future. Could you pleaseelaborate on this?

Drinking Water is and will increasingly be a scarce resource worldwide overtime. And Islands inareas of the globe where precipitation is estimated to decrease overtime due to Climate Change willhave 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 theDepartment 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 forJuan Fernández and their capacity to ensure access to drinkable water for the local community at alltimes throughout the year. By the same token, the absence of any sort of stormwater managementsystem on the islands makes for a very inefficient strategy towards this resource and its potentialdeficit. Of all 12 runoffs that feed San Juan Bautista, only two to three of them provide a permanentsupply of fresh water throughout the year and, in all cases, their volume of flow depends onprecipitation. 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 accessibilityto drinkable water.

A very important aspect regarding stormwater management efficiency on the island is theproliferation of invasive species like the Eucaliptus, especially those nearby runoffs. This speciesconsumes 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 andendemic species, which literally suffocate due to lack of water. Ironically, the Eucaliptus is thepreferred source of material in the community for the fabrication of lobster traps—fisheryconstitutes 70% of the island’s income—and has surprisingly been recognized by our partners atOikonos, as a thriving environment for the endangered Juan Fernández Firecrown, an endemicspecies ranked critically endangered by Birdlife International. This evidence embodies thecomplexity 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 theaquatic ecosystems on Cumberland Bay. Right now, there is no mitigation measures associated to thisproblem and untreated/contaminated water is discharging directly to sea. International scientificstudies 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, dependingon the time lapse.

5. Is it realistic to imagine a self-sustained community on Robinson Crusoe? Or do you believe that theywill always depend on the continent in terms of resources and supplies? Was there ever a time whenlife on the islands was truly sustainable?

Yes, it is certainly realistic and possible. Juan Fernández is a great prospect to become a self-sustained 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 beingable to establish any kind of sustainable development model on the islands, the desire needs to groworganically within the roots of the local community, as a result of informative processes like theworkshops we conducted on Robinson Crusoe in October. It is unlikely that a community like suchswitch paths without the support of knowledge and financial incentives, especially because itobviously appears more comfortable to keep running business as usual and, for example, wait for themonthly ship to bring provisions, while only 5% of the local consumption of vegetables is producedlocally. Campaigns like “Eat Local” in Portland, OR are crucial in a case like this, to increase their selfsufficiency while achieving more balanced and healthier diet habits.

Your second question is great and very timely. Two of five groups attending our workshopsmentioned how they remember that, not long ago (less than 30 years) before the ship would supplythe community on a regular and more frequent basis, their grandparents had to work with what wasreadily 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 acastaway? The key to a future sustainable community on the Juan Fernández Islands lies intheir own family heritage. A significant community-wide introspection process would help themfind 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 whatmodels did you follow? Is there a replicable model?

At the time when “Isla Robinson Crusoe, Presente y Futuro Urbano” was written and developed (1998-2000) I couldn’t find adequate or elaborated holistic sustainable models available that were fullyapplicable 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 considerthis 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 modelsthat 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 emergefrom 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. Insummary, 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 ofinvasive species, the shrinkage of the endemic forest due to competition, waste, etc. What istheoretically the maximum size that the community could reach?

The Juan Fernández islands have been considered one of the 12 most threatened National Parks. TheAlliance for Zero Extinction targeted the archipelago as a priority site on 2002:

52% of native plants are extinct, critically endangered or endangered: 83% of theseare 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 couldcurrently support; this has changed significantly after the tsunami. In my opinion the carryingcapacity 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 onRobinson Crusoe, where the natural increase, while positive, is fairly slow. The concept of communityis one of the main pillars of Sustainability. It is necessary for them to become stewards of their landand resources and creators of their own future, managing their own resources properly andefficiently. So far, the community as a whole has not taken that role, and I include the localgovernment as a fundamental part of community. For example, the water consumption of theapproximately 700-member-community on San Juan Bautista accounts for double the expectablevolumes 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 thecommunity about the inconveniences of wasting such resource, via public policies and socialoutreach, among other channels.

Many of these issues were discussed throughout our workshops, which became an unexpected andgreatly appreciated community forum. It became the first opportunity available for them to discussand 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 onlocal 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 todevelop and thrive. I believe that an environmentallyconscious mindset is beginning to impact decision makersand businesses at many levels as a result of the influence ofa global trend in that direction. It is a good start. However Ialso believe that the discussion of “what is Sustainability inChile” has not taken place and therefore consensus in thatsense has not been built yet. Some people thinksustainability is about placing solar panels on your roof,others think it’s about recycling… true sustainability isabout lifestyle and about cultural adaptation.

Regionalism is a huge factor in sustainability. For a countrythat is over 2,600 miles long we have very diverse climateand geographic conditions due to latitude. Water, forexample, is a resource that should be managed not only asa state-matter but as part of a community long-term issue.

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 verysignificant loss of ice in the next century, due to temperature rise, which will affect the albedo (orreflection coefficient) capacity of our mountain surfaces. No ice/snow, no reflection, temperaturerises. It’s a case of “the chicken or the egg” type of situation. With the addition of decreasedprecipitation levels (up to 15 to 30%) in the next century, we should be looking at consumptionhabits adaptation as we speak…

Now, water is not the only issue. As a general concept, we should be looking at rational resource andwaste management programs that aim at closing resource/waste cycles, as part of a “system ofclosed-circuit systems”. Education in this sense is of the essence.

Alimentación

Deshechos

Energía

Estructuras

Vegetación

Agua

INTEGRACIÓNE INNOVACIÓN

9. Islands have a charm, a mystery that has been explored by philosophers, anthropologists andscientists throughout history. Utopia was an island… What does Robinson Crusoe Island offer inorder to support and require a project like this?

What an Island of this kind offers towards a unique systemic sustainable model is:

1. Its geographic size, which is measurable and has been well studied.2. The global relevance of its natural resources.3. The size of its community, which is measurable too, and fairly receptive to sustainability

concepts.4. 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 differentfrom “a planet” if you will).

5. Its vulnerability to natural disasters.6. And so on…

The clear bottom-line as far as this opportunity is Robinson Crusoe offers a sense of “isolatedlaboratory” that sums up many or most of the environmental, social, financial, political, physical andhuman problems that our planet, as a whole, faces, at a small geographic and human scale. But moreimportantly, the wellbeing and security of the islands’ community needs to be consolidated andreestablished—as a sense of intergenerational justice—under the umbrella of a systemic vision,based on the following main pillars:

SEGURIDAD

AUTONOMÍA

IDENTIDAD

MEDIOAMBIENTE