SAVING THE CORAL ON EASTER ISLAND

PLANTING TREES ON EASTER ISLAND TO SAVE THE CORAL

The cycle of natural events inevitably catches up with the reality of the moment. In this case, after centuries of these magnificent Easter Island monoliths staring off into the distance, the rain is eroding away the island and as it washes into the ocean the surrounding coral reefs are being buried under the silt. Coral reefs that happen to contained enzymes which are the building blocks of medicines that hold the cure for Alzheimers disease. Through the innovative minds of the Cousteau Society, a potential disaster will be avoided. They’re planting 1.4 million trees on the island to arrest the erosion which, if left untouched, will fundamentally destroy all of the surrounding coral reefs and any potential for finding a cure.

When Easter Island natives settled the island, they had no idea that in cutting down all of the trees they were also cutting off their future. It’s now catching up. Soil erosion because of lack of trees has begun to choke off the islands surrounding coral. Sediment samples document that up to half of the native plants had become extinct and that the vegetation of the island drastically altered. With no trees to protect them, sea spray led to crop failures exacerbated by a sudden reduction in fresh water flows. Trees are sparse, rarely forming natural groves, and the native Easter Islanders deforestation of the island in the process of erecting their statues and in providing sustenance for an overpopulated island cut into the islands ability to defend itself from soil erosion.

 

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