The Last Atoll : Exploring Hawai'i's Endangered Ecosystems
ISBN: 9781595341242
Platform/Publisher: Ebook Central / Trinity University Press
Digital rights: Users: Unlimited; Printing: Limited; Download: 7 Days at a Time
Subjects: Geography/ Travel; Science; Science: Biology/ Natural History;

The Last Atoll is a first-person account of journalist Pamela Frierson's ten-year exploration of the exotic and ecologically significant small lands at the far northwestern end of the Hawaiian island chain. Frierson takes readers on a rare journey to eight of these remote and ancient islands, including the Kure Atoll, the oldest Hawa'i'ian island and the northernmost atoll in the world. In her 1,200-mile travels, Frierson discovers isolated landscapes, undisturbed ecosystems, and a nearly forgotten but well-preserved human history. It is a rich history of discovery by explorers and pirates, plus extensive military use. Frierson finds a vast wilderness, including the remnants of ancient volcanoes, and unique species of wildlife. She also explores the islands' location in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a major current that washes up the world's garbage. A lifelong resident of Hawai'i, Frierson draws broad conclusions relating to islands and their "canary in a coal mine" role.

Pamela Frierson is the author of The Burning Island: A Journey through Myth and History in Volcano Country, Hawai'i , and many articles and essays. Raised in Hawai'i, she lived for many years in the American West, was on the staff of the Whole Earth Catalog, and was one of the founding publishers of the innovative quarterly Place Magazine. She returned to the Islands two decades ago and now lives on the slopes of Mauna Kea Volcano, on Hawai'i Island, working as a freelance writer, photographer, and educator.

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