Environmental history and landscape transformation in the Juan Fernández Archipelago: human impact and conservation
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Abstract
This article examines the trajectory of landscape transformation in the Juan Fernández Archipelago, a Chilean island territory located in the temperate zone of the South Pacific. Its geographical isolation has fostered remarkable biogeographical uniqueness, manifested in high levels of endemism. Unlike other tropical oceanic islands, those in temperate zones exhibit distinctive landscape dynamics, shaped by the interaction between ecological factors and historical processes. Six stages of landscape change from the 17th to the 21st century are analyzed, identifying anthropization patterns linked to the introduction of exotic species, resource exploitation, and state presence policies. The research is based on documentary and bibliographic sources, framed within an environmental historiographic perspective. The study highlights the current state of landscape degradation, marked by erosion, vegetation loss, and threats to endemic flora, and discusses the ecological, social, and geostrategic implications of these changes. It argues that environmental history contributes to understanding contemporary territorial configurations and supports proposals for conservation and sustainable management. Thus, this study offers a contribution to understanding the socioecological dynamics of island landscapes and their conservation challenges.
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