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FROM THE AUGUST 1995 ISSUE

Easter's End
In just a few centuries, the people of Easter Island wiped out their forest, drove their
plants and animals to extinction, and saw their complex society spiral into chaos
and cannibalism. Are we about to follow their lead?
By Jared Diamond | Tuesday, August 01, 1995
RELATED TAGS: ECOSYSTEMS, ARCHAEOLOGY

Amongthemostrivetingmysteriesofhumanhistoryarethoseposedbyvanishedcivilizations.Everyonewho
hasseentheabandonedbuildingsoftheKhmer,theMaya,ortheAnasaziisimmediatelymovedtoaskthe
samequestion:Whydidthesocietiesthaterectedthosestructuresdisappear?
Theirvanishingtouchesusasthedisappearanceofotheranimals,eventhedinosaurs,nevercan.Nomatter
howexoticthoselostcivilizationsseem,theirframerswerehumanslikeus.Whoistosaywewontsuccumbto
thesamefate?PerhapssomedayNewYorksskyscraperswillstandderelictandovergrownwithvegetation,like
thetemplesatAngkorWatandTikal.
Amongallsuchvanishedcivilizations,thatoftheformerPolynesiansocietyonEasterIslandremains
unsurpassedinmysteryandisolation.Themysterystemsespeciallyfromtheislandsgiganticstonestatuesand
itsimpoverishedlandscape,butitisenhancedbyourassociationswiththespecificpeopleinvolved:Polynesians
representforustheultimateinexoticromance,thebackgroundformanyachilds,andanadults,visionof
paradise.MyowninterestinEasterwaskindledover30yearsagowhenIreadThorHeyerdahlsfabulous
accountsofhisKonTikivoyage.
Butmyinteresthasbeenrevivedrecentlybyamuchmoreexcitingaccount,onenotofheroicvoyagesbutof
painstakingresearchandanalysis.MyfriendDavidSteadman,apaleontologist,hasbeenworkingwitha
numberofotherresearcherswhoarecarryingoutthefirstsystematicexcavationsonEasterintendedtoidentify
theanimalsandplantsthatoncelivedthere.Theirworkiscontributingtoanewinterpretationoftheislands
historythatmakesitatalenotonlyofwonderbutofwarningaswell.
EasterIsland,withanareaofonly64squaremiles,istheworldsmostisolatedscrapofhabitableland.Itliesin
thePacificOceanmorethan2,000mileswestofthenearestcontinent(SouthAmerica),1,400milesfromeven
thenearesthabitableisland(Pitcairn).Itssubtropicallocationandlatitudeat27degreessouth,itis
approximatelyasfarbelowtheequatorasHoustonisnorthofithelpgiveitarathermildclimate,whileits
volcanicoriginsmakeitssoilfertile.Intheory,thiscombinationofblessingsshouldhavemadeEastera
miniatureparadise,remotefromproblemsthatbesettherestoftheworld.
TheislandderivesitsnamefromitsdiscoverybytheDutchexplorerJacobRoggeveen,onEaster(April5)in
1722.Roggeveensfirstimpressionwasnotofaparadisebutofawasteland:Weoriginally,fromafurther
distance,haveconsideredthesaidEasterIslandassandythereasonforthatisthis,thatwecountedassand
thewitheredgrass,hay,orotherscorchedandburntvegetation,becauseitswastedappearancecouldgiveno
otherimpressionthanofasingularpovertyandbarrenness.

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TheislandRoggeveensawwasagrasslandwithoutasingletreeorbushovertenfeethigh.Modernbotanists
haveidentifiedonly47speciesofhigherplantsnativetoEaster,mostofthemgrasses,sedges,andferns.The
listincludesjusttwospeciesofsmalltreesandtwoofwoodyshrubs.Withsuchflora,theislandersRoggeveen
encounteredhadnosourceofrealfirewoodtowarmthemselvesduringEasterscool,wet,windywinters.Their
nativeanimalsincludednothinglargerthaninsects,notevenasinglespeciesofnativebat,landbird,land
snail,orlizard.Fordomesticanimals,theyhadonlychickens.
EuropeanvisitorsthroughouttheeighteenthandearlynineteenthcenturiesestimatedEastershuman
populationatabout2,000,amodestnumberconsideringtheislandsfertility.AsCaptainJamesCook
recognizedduringhisbriefvisitin1774,theislanderswerePolynesians(aTahitianmanaccompanyingCook
wasabletoconversewiththem).YetdespitethePolynesianswelldeservedfameasagreatseafaringpeople,
theEasterIslanderswhocameouttoRoggeveensandCooksshipsdidsobyswimmingorpaddlingcanoes
thatRoggeveendescribedasbadandfrail.Theircraft,hewrote,wereputtogetherwithmanifoldsmallplanks
andlightinnertimbers,whichtheycleverlystitchedtogetherwithveryfinetwistedthreads....Butastheylack
theknowledgeandparticularlythematerialsforcaulkingandmakingtightthegreatnumberofseamsofthe
canoes,theseareaccordinglyveryleaky,forwhichreasontheyarecompelledtospendhalfthetimeinbailing.
Thecanoes,onlytenfeetlong,heldatmosttwopeople,andonlythreeorfourcanoeswereobservedonthe
entireisland.
Withsuchflimsycraft,PolynesianscouldneverhavecolonizedEasterfromeventhenearestisland,norcould
theyhavetraveledfaroffshoretofish.TheislandersRoggeveenmetweretotallyisolated,unawarethatother
peopleexisted.Investigatorsinalltheyearssincehisvisithavediscoverednotraceoftheislandershavingany
outsidecontacts:notasingleEasterIslandrockorproducthasturnedupelsewhere,norhasanythingbeen
foundontheislandthatcouldhavebeenbroughtbyanyoneotherthantheoriginalsettlersortheEuropeans.
YetthepeoplelivingonEasterclaimedmemoriesofvisitingtheuninhabitedSalayGomezreef260milesaway,
farbeyondtherangeoftheleakycanoesseenbyRoggeveen.Howdidtheislandersancestorsreachthatreef
fromEaster,orreachEasterfromanywhereelse?
EasterIslandsmostfamousfeatureisitshugestonestatues,morethan200ofwhichoncestoodonmassive
stoneplatformsliningthecoast.Atleast700more,inallstagesofcompletion,wereabandonedinquarriesor
onancientroadsbetweenthequarriesandthecoast,asifthecarversandmovingcrewshadthrowndowntheir
toolsandwalkedoffthejob.Mostoftheerectedstatueswerecarvedinasinglequarryandthensomehow
transportedasfarassixmilesdespiteheightsasgreatas33feetandweightsupto82tons.Theabandoned
statues,meanwhile,wereasmuchas65feettallandweighedupto270tons.Thestoneplatformswereequally
gigantic:upto500feetlongand10feethigh,withfacingslabsweighingupto10tons.
Roggeveenhimselfquicklyrecognizedtheproblemthestatuesposed:Thestoneimagesatfirstcausedustobe
struckwithastonishment,hewrote,becausewecouldnotcomprehendhowitwaspossiblethatthesepeople,
whoaredevoidofheavythicktimberformakinganymachines,aswellasstrongropes,neverthelesshadbeen
abletoerectsuchimages.Roggeveenmighthaveaddedthattheislandershadnowheels,nodraftanimals,and
nosourceofpowerexcepttheirownmuscles.Howdidtheytransportthegiantstatuesformiles,evenbefore
erectingthem?Todeepenthemystery,thestatueswerestillstandingin1770,butby1864allofthemhadbeen
pulleddown,bytheislandersthemselves.Whythendidtheycarvetheminthefirstplace?Andwhydidthey
stop?
ThestatuesimplyasocietyverydifferentfromtheoneRoggeveensawin1722.Theirsheernumberandsize
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suggestapopulationmuchlargerthan2,000people.Whatbecameofeveryone?Furthermore,thatsociety
musthavebeenhighlyorganized.Eastersresourceswerescatteredacrosstheisland:thebeststoneforthe
statueswasquarriedatRanoRarakunearEastersnortheastendredstone,usedforlargecrownsadorning
someofthestatues,wasquarriedatPunaPau,inlandinthesouthweststonecarvingtoolscamemostlyfrom
Aroiinthenorthwest.Meanwhile,thebestfarmlandlayinthesouthandeast,andthebestfishinggroundson
thenorthandwestcoasts.Extractingandredistributingallthosegoodsrequiredcomplexpolitical
organization.Whathappenedtothatorganization,andhowcoulditeverhaveariseninsuchabarren
landscape?
EasterIslandsmysterieshavespawnedvolumesofspeculationformorethantwoandahalfcenturies.Many
EuropeanswereincredulousthatPolynesianscommonlycharacterizedasmeresavagescouldhavecreated
thestatuesorthebeautifullyconstructedstoneplatforms.Inthe1950s,HeyerdahlarguedthatPolynesiamust
havebeensettledbyadvancedsocietiesofAmericanIndians,whointurnmusthavereceivedcivilizationacross
theAtlanticfrommoreadvancedsocietiesoftheOldWorld.Heyerdahlsraftvoyagesaimedtoprovethe
feasibilityofsuchprehistorictransoceaniccontacts.Inthe1960stheSwisswriterErichvonDniken,anardent
believerinEarthvisitsbyextraterrestrialastronauts,wentfurther,claimingthatEastersstatueswerethework
ofintelligentbeingswhoownedultramoderntools,becamestrandedonEaster,andwerefinallyrescued.
HeyerdahlandVonDnikenbothbrushedasideoverwhelmingevidencethattheEasterIslandersweretypical
PolynesiansderivedfromAsiaratherthanfromtheAmericasandthattheirculture(includingtheirstatues)
grewoutofPolynesianculture.TheirlanguagewasPolynesian,asCookhadalreadyconcluded.Specifically,
theyspokeaneasternPolynesiandialectrelatedtoHawaiianandMarquesan,adialectisolatedsinceabout
A.D.400,asestimatedfromslightdifferencesinvocabulary.Theirfishhooksandstoneadzesresembledearly
Marquesanmodels.LastyearDNAextractedfrom12EasterIslandskeletonswasalsoshowntobePolynesian.
Theislandersgrewbananas,taro,sweetpotatoes,sugarcane,andpapermulberrytypicalPolynesiancrops,
mostlyofSoutheastAsianorigin.Theirsoledomesticanimal,thechicken,wasalsotypicallyPolynesianand
ultimatelyAsian,asweretheratsthatarrivedasstowawaysinthecanoesofthefirstsettlers.
Whathappenedtothosesettlers?Thefancifultheoriesofthepastmustgivewaytoevidencegatheredby
hardworkingpractitionersinthreefields:archeology,pollenanalysis,andpaleontology.
ModernarcheologicalexcavationsonEasterhavecontinuedsinceHeyerdahls1955expedition.Theearliest
radiocarbondatesassociatedwithhumanactivitiesarearoundA.D.400to700,inreasonableagreementwith
theapproximatesettlementdateof400estimatedbylinguists.Theperiodofstatueconstructionpeaked
around1200to1500,withfewifanystatueserectedthereafter.Densitiesofarcheologicalsitessuggestalarge
populationanestimateof7,000peopleiswidelyquotedbyarcheologists,butotherestimatesrangeupto
20,000,whichdoesnotseemimplausibleforanislandofEastersareaandfertility.
Archeologistshavealsoenlistedsurvivingislandersinexperimentsaimedatfiguringouthowthestatuesmight
havebeencarvedanderected.Twentypeople,usingonlystonechisels,couldhavecarvedeventhelargest
completedstatuewithinayear.Givenenoughtimberandfiberformakingropes,teamsofatmostafew
hundredpeoplecouldhaveloadedthestatuesontowoodensleds,draggedthemoverlubricatedwoodentracks
orrollers,andusedlogsasleverstomaneuverthemintoastandingposition.Ropecouldhavebeenmadefrom
thefiberofasmallnativetree,relatedtothelinden,calledthehauhau.However,thattreeisnowextremely
scarceonEaster,andhaulingonestatuewouldhaverequiredhundredsofyardsofrope.DidEastersnow
barrenlandscapeoncesupportthenecessarytrees?
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Thatquestioncanbeansweredbythetechniqueofpollenanalysis,whichinvolvesboringoutacolumnof
sedimentfromaswamporpond,withthemostrecentdepositsatthetopandrelativelymoreancientdeposits
atthebottom.Theabsoluteageofeachlayercanbedatedbyradiocarbonmethods.Thenbeginsthehard
work:examiningtensofthousandsofpollengrainsunderamicroscope,countingthem,andidentifyingthe
plantspeciesthatproducedeachonebycomparingthegrainswithmodernpollenfromknownplantspecies.
ForEasterIsland,theblearyeyedscientistswhoperformedthattaskwereJohnFlenley,nowatMassey
UniversityinNewZealand,andSarahKingoftheUniversityofHullinEngland.
FlenleyandKingsheroiceffortswererewardedbythestrikingnewpicturethatemergedofEastersprehistoric
landscape.Foratleast30,000yearsbeforehumanarrivalandduringtheearlyyearsofPolynesiansettlement,
Easterwasnotawastelandatall.Instead,asubtropicalforestoftreesandwoodybushestoweredovera
groundlayerofshrubs,herbs,ferns,andgrasses.Intheforestgrewtreedaisies,theropeyieldinghauhautree,
andthetoromirotree,whichfurnishesadense,mesquitelikefirewood.Themostcommontreeintheforestwas
aspeciesofpalmnowabsentonEasterbutformerlysoabundantthatthebottomstrataofthesediment
columnwerepackedwithitspollen.TheEasterIslandpalmwascloselyrelatedtothestillsurvivingChilean
winepalm,whichgrowsupto82feettalland6feetindiameter.Thetall,unbranchedtrunksoftheEaster
Islandpalmwouldhavebeenidealfortransportinganderectingstatuesandconstructinglargecanoes.The
palmwouldalsohavebeenavaluablefoodsource,sinceitsChileanrelativeyieldsediblenutsaswellassap
fromwhichChileansmakesugar,syrup,honey,andwine.
WhatdidthefirstsettlersofEasterIslandeatwhentheywerenotgluttingthemselvesonthelocalequivalentof
maplesyrup?RecentexcavationsbyDavidSteadman,oftheNewYorkStateMuseumatAlbany,haveyieldeda
pictureofEastersoriginalanimalworldassurprisingasFlenleyandKingspictureofitsplantworld.
SteadmansexpectationsforEasterwereconditionedbyhisexperienceselsewhereinPolynesia,wherefishare
overwhelminglythemainfoodatarcheologicalsites,typicallyaccountingformorethan90percentofthebones
inancientPolynesiangarbageheaps.Easter,though,istoocoolforthecoralreefsbelovedbyfish,anditscliff
girdedcoastlinepermitsshallowwaterfishinginonlyafewplaces.Lessthanaquarterofthebonesinitsearly
garbageheaps(fromtheperiod900to1300)belongedtofishinstead,nearlyonethirdofallbonescamefrom
porpoises.
NowhereelseinPolynesiadoporpoisesaccountforeven1percentofdiscardedfoodbones.Butmostother
Polynesianislandsofferedanimalfoodintheformofbirdsandmammals,suchasNewZealandsnowextinct
giantmoasandHawaiisnowextinctflightlessgeese.Mostotherislandersalsohaddomesticpigsanddogs.On
Easter,porpoiseswouldhavebeenthelargestanimalavailableotherthanhumans.Theporpoisespecies
identifiedatEaster,thecommondolphin,weighsupto165pounds.Itgenerallylivesoutatsea,soitcouldnot
havebeenhuntedbylinefishingorspearfishingfromshore.Instead,itmusthavebeenharpoonedfaroffshore,
inbigseaworthycanoesbuiltfromtheextinctpalmtree.
Inadditiontoporpoisemeat,Steadmanfound,theearlyPolynesiansettlerswerefeastingonseabirds.Forthose
birds,Eastersremotenessandlackofpredatorsmadeitanidealhavenasabreedingsite,atleastuntilhumans
arrived.AmongtheprodigiousnumbersofseabirdsthatbredonEasterwerealbatross,boobies,frigatebirds,
fulmars,petrels,prions,shearwaters,stormpetrels,terns,andtropicbirds.Withatleast25nestingspecies,
EasterwastherichestseabirdbreedingsiteinPolynesiaandprobablyinthewholePacific.
LandbirdsaswellwentintoearlyEasterIslandcookingpots.Steadmanidentifiedbonesofatleastsixspecies,
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includingbarnowls,herons,parrots,andrail.Birdstewwouldhavebeenseasonedwithmeatfromlarge
numbersofrats,whichthePolynesiancolonistsinadvertentlybroughtwiththemEasterIslandisthesole
knownPolynesianislandwhereratbonesoutnumberfishbonesatarcheologicalsites.(Incaseyoure
squeamishandconsiderratsinedible,IstillrecallrecipesforcreamedlaboratoryratthatmyBritishbiologist
friendsusedtosupplementtheirdietduringtheiryearsofwartimefoodrationing.)
Porpoises,seabirds,landbirds,andratsdidnotcompletethelistofmeatsourcesformerlyavailableonEaster.
Afewboneshintatthepossibilityofbreedingsealcoloniesaswell.Allthesedelicacieswerecookedinovens
firedbywoodfromtheislandsforests.
SuchevidenceletsusimaginetheislandontowhichEastersfirstPolynesiancolonistssteppedashoresome
1,600yearsago,afteralongcanoevoyagefromeasternPolynesia.Theyfoundthemselvesinapristineparadise.
Whatthenhappenedtoit?Thepollengrainsandthebonesyieldagrimanswer.
PollenrecordsshowthatdestructionofEastersforestswaswellunderwaybytheyear800,justafewcenturies
afterthestartofhumansettlement.Thencharcoalfromwoodfirescametofillthesedimentcores,whilepollen
ofpalmsandothertreesandwoodyshrubsdecreasedordisappeared,andpollenofthegrassesthatreplaced
theforestbecamemoreabundant.Notlongafter1400thepalmfinallybecameextinct,notonlyasaresultof
beingchoppeddownbutalsobecausethenowubiquitousratspreventeditsregeneration:ofthedozensof
preservedpalmnutsdiscoveredincavesonEaster,allhadbeenchewedbyratsandcouldnolongergerminate.
WhilethehauhautreedidnotbecomeextinctinPolynesiantimes,itsnumbersdeclineddrasticallyuntilthere
werentenoughlefttomakeropesfrom.BythetimeHeyerdahlvisitedEaster,onlyasingle,nearlydead
toromirotreeremainedontheisland,andeventhatlonesurvivorhasnowdisappeared.(Fortunately,the
toromirostillgrowsinbotanicalgardenselsewhere.)
ThefifteenthcenturymarkedtheendnotonlyforEasterspalmbutfortheforestitself.Itsdoomhadbeen
approachingaspeopleclearedlandtoplantgardensastheyfelledtreestobuildcanoes,totransportanderect
statues,andtoburnasratsdevouredseedsandprobablyasthenativebirdsdiedoutthathadpollinatedthe
treesflowersanddispersedtheirfruit.Theoverallpictureisamongthemostextremeexamplesofforest
destructionanywhereintheworld:thewholeforestgone,andmostofitstreespeciesextinct.
Thedestructionoftheislandsanimalswasasextremeasthatoftheforest:withoutexception,everyspeciesof
nativelandbirdbecameextinct.Evenshellfishwereoverexploited,untilpeoplehadtosettleforsmallseasnails
insteadoflargercowries.Porpoisebonesdisappearedabruptlyfromgarbageheapsaround1500noonecould
harpoonporpoisesanymore,sincethetreesusedforconstructingthebigseagoingcanoesnolongerexisted.
ThecoloniesofmorethanhalfoftheseabirdspeciesbreedingonEasteroronitsoffshoreisletswerewipedout.
Inplaceofthesemeatsupplies,theEasterIslandersintensifiedtheirproductionofchickens,whichhadbeen
onlyanoccasionalfooditem.Theyalsoturnedtothelargestremainingmeatsourceavailable:humans,whose
bonesbecamecommoninlateEasterIslandgarbageheaps.Oraltraditionsoftheislandersarerifewith
cannibalismthemostinflammatorytauntthatcouldbesnarledatanenemywasThefleshofyourmother
sticksbetweenmyteeth.Withnowoodavailabletocookthesenewgoodies,theislandersresortedtosugarcane
scraps,grass,andsedgestofueltheirfires.
Allthesestrandsofevidencecanbewoundintoacoherentnarrativeofasocietysdeclineandfall.Thefirst
Polynesiancolonistsfoundthemselvesonanislandwithfertilesoil,abundantfood,bountifulbuilding
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materials,amplelebensraum,andalltheprerequisitesforcomfortableliving.Theyprosperedandmultiplied.
Afterafewcenturies,theybeganerectingstonestatuesonplatforms,liketheonestheirPolynesianforebears
hadcarved.Withpassingyears,thestatuesandplatformsbecamelargerandlarger,andthestatuesbegan
sportingtentonredcrownsprobablyinanescalatingspiralofoneupmanship,asrivalclanstriedtosurpass
eachotherwithshowsofwealthandpower.(Inthesameway,successiveEgyptianpharaohsbuilteverlarger
pyramids.TodayHollywoodmoviemogulsnearmyhomeinLosAngelesaredisplayingtheirwealthandpower
bybuildingevermoreostentatiousmansions.TycoonMarvinDavistoppedpreviousmogulswithplansfora
50,000squarefoothouse,sonowAaronSpellinghastoppedDaviswitha56,000squarefoothouse.Allthat
thosebuildingslacktomakethemessageexplicitaretentonredcrowns.)OnEaster,asinmodernAmerica,
societywasheldtogetherbyacomplexpoliticalsystemtoredistributelocallyavailableresourcesandto
integratetheeconomiesofdifferentareas.
EventuallyEastersgrowingpopulationwascuttingtheforestmorerapidlythantheforestwasregenerating.
Thepeopleusedthelandforgardensandthewoodforfuel,canoes,andhousesand,ofcourse,forlugging
statues.Asforestdisappeared,theislandersranoutoftimberandropetotransportanderecttheirstatues.Life
becamemoreuncomfortablespringsandstreamsdriedup,andwoodwasnolongeravailableforfires.
Peoplealsofoundithardertofilltheirstomachs,aslandbirds,largeseasnails,andmanyseabirds
disappeared.Becausetimberforbuildingseagoingcanoesvanished,fishcatchesdeclinedandporpoises
disappearedfromthetable.Cropyieldsalsodeclined,sincedeforestationallowedthesoiltobeerodedbyrain
andwind,driedbythesun,anditsnutrientstobeleechedfromit.Intensifiedchickenproductionand
cannibalismreplacedonlypartofallthoselostfoods.Preservedstatuetteswithsunkencheeksandvisibleribs
suggestthatpeoplewerestarving.
Withthedisappearanceoffoodsurpluses,EasterIslandcouldnolongerfeedthechiefs,bureaucrats,and
priestswhohadkeptacomplexsocietyrunning.SurvivingislandersdescribedtoearlyEuropeanvisitorshow
localchaosreplacedcentralizedgovernmentandawarriorclasstookoverfromthehereditarychiefs.Thestone
pointsofspearsanddaggers,madebythewarriorsduringtheirheydayinthe1600sand1700s,stilllitterthe
groundofEastertoday.Byaround1700,thepopulationbegantocrashtowardbetweenonequarterandone
tenthofitsformernumber.Peopletooktolivingincavesforprotectionagainsttheirenemies.Around1770
rivalclansstartedtotoppleeachothersstatues,breakingtheheadsoff.By1864thelaststatuehadbeen
throwndownanddesecrated.
AswetrytoimaginethedeclineofEasterscivilization,weaskourselves,Whydidnttheylookaround,realize
whattheyweredoing,andstopbeforeitwastoolate?Whatweretheythinkingwhentheycutdownthelast
palmtree?
Isuspect,though,thatthedisasterhappenednotwithabangbutwithawhimper.Afterall,therearethose
hundredsofabandonedstatuestoconsider.Theforesttheislandersdependedonforrollersandropedidnt
simplydisappearonedayitvanishedslowly,overdecades.Perhapswarinterruptedthemovingteams
perhapsbythetimethecarvershadfinishedtheirwork,thelastropesnapped.Inthemeantime,anyislander
whotriedtowarnaboutthedangersofprogressivedeforestationwouldhavebeenoverriddenbyvested
interestsofcarvers,bureaucrats,andchiefs,whosejobsdependedoncontinueddeforestation.OurPacific
Northwestloggersareonlythelatestinalonglineofloggerstocry,Jobsovertrees!Thechangesinforestcover
fromyeartoyearwouldhavebeenhardtodetect:yes,thisyearweclearedthosewoodsoverthere,buttreesare
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startingtogrowbackagainonthisabandonedgardensitehere.Onlyolderpeople,recollectingtheir
childhoodsdecadesearlier,couldhaverecognizedadifference.Theirchildrencouldnomorehave
comprehendedtheirparentstalesthanmyeightyearoldsonstodaycancomprehendmywifesandmytales
ofwhatLosAngeleswaslike30yearsago.
Graduallytreesbecamefewer,smaller,andlessimportant.Bythetimethelastfruitbearingadultpalmtree
wascut,palmshadlongsinceceasedtobeofeconomicsignificance.Thatleftonlysmallerandsmallerpalm
saplingstocleareachyear,alongwithotherbushesandtreelets.Noonewouldhavenoticedthefellingofthe
lastsmallpalm.
BynowthemeaningofeasterIslandforusshouldbechillinglyobvious.EasterIslandisEarthwritsmall.
Today,again,arisingpopulationconfrontsshrinkingresources.Wetoohavenoemigrationvalve,becauseall
humansocietiesarelinkedbyinternationaltransport,andwecannomoreescapeintospacethantheEaster
Islanderscouldfleeintotheocean.Ifwecontinuetofollowourpresentcourse,weshallhaveexhaustedthe
worldsmajorfisheries,tropicalrainforests,fossilfuels,andmuchofoursoilbythetimemysonsreachmy
currentage.
EverydaynewspapersreportdetailsoffamishedcountriesAfghanistan,Liberia,Rwanda,SierraLeone,
Somalia,theformerYugoslavia,Zairewheresoldiershaveappropriatedthewealthorwherecentral
governmentisyieldingtolocalgangsofthugs.Withtheriskofnuclearwarreceding,thethreatofourending
withabangnolongerhasachanceofgalvanizingustohaltourcourse.Ourrisknowisofwindingdown,
slowly,inawhimper.Correctiveactionisblockedbyvestedinterests,bywellintentionedpoliticalandbusiness
leaders,andbytheirelectorates,allofwhomareperfectlycorrectinnotnoticingbigchangesfromyeartoyear.
Instead,eachyeartherearejustsomewhatmorepeople,andsomewhatfewerresources,onEarth.
Itwouldbeeasytocloseoureyesortogiveupindespair.IfmerethousandsofEasterIslanderswithonlystone
toolsandtheirownmusclepowersufficedtodestroytheirsociety,howcanbillionsofpeoplewithmetaltools
andmachinepowerfailtodoworse?Butthereisonecrucialdifference.TheEasterIslandershadnobooksand
nohistoriesofotherdoomedsocieties.UnliketheEasterIslanders,wehavehistoriesofthepastinformation
thatcansaveus.Mymainhopeformysonsgenerationisthatwemaynowchoosetolearnfromthefatesof
societieslikeEasters.

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