1. C OLLAPSE What lessons can we learn from past civilizations?

2. G REENLAND N ORSE Points to add: It was about wood for fire for forges for iron Failure to let go of a value that is no longer useful Connection to Norway – Norse writings (communication)

3. E ASTER I SLAND Overpopulation Did rats eat trees? Middens tell a tale of change in diet and vegetation Stratification of Society Chiefs spent $$ on those large heads Switched from open water to tidal to chickens (to people) Failure to plan for sustainability

4. A NASAZI Canyon irrigation – arroyos (subject to flooding!!) Abandon cities for pueblos – political collapse Tree rings tell the story of repeated drought! Pinyon pine (50+ miles away) Failure to plan ahead

5. M AYA Evidence of erosion –houses under meters of sediment Lack of written history (history of kings, not climate) Used lime for plaster, used firewood to make this. Evidence of “abandon ship” in stages Skeletons show starvation & cannibalism Lack of deer Leaders isolated from effects of decisions

6. H AITI /D OMINICAN R EPUBLIC DR used “lethal enforcement” of deforestation laws Former slave colony developed an isolated culture (Haiti) Baby Doc (Duvalier) further isolated the state Need leadership in best interest of all, not few

7. P ITCAIRN, H ENDERSON (& M ANGAREVA ) Trading triangle – oysters, rocks, wood Failure due to ‘weak link’ Failure to plan ahead

8. S UCCESS S TORIES : N EW G UINEA & J APAN Top-down approach to deforestation in Japan (70%) under Shogun Bottom-up in PNG with “big man” structure Consensus making process Labor intensive silviculture – but sustainable

9. M ODERN G LOBAL C IVILIZATION Look at reasons civilizations fail: Which challenges are most difficult? Environmentally? Politically? Economically? Which problems should be addressed first? Tragedy of the Commons

10. C OMMON T HEMES Deforestation Erosion Failure to communicate Isolation of elite Climate Change Drought Failure to plan Monoculture in agriculture