Talk:Fernando de Noronha
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I visited Fernando de Noronha a few months ago...in Brazil it's considered the #1 vacation spot, "most beautiful place on earth" etc. So I was shocked to discover that the vast majority of vegetation on the island is dead! Apparently, over the last few years/decades (not sure), there's been some kind of plant disease that has ravaged the main island. What used to be lush and green is now brown and dry. Unfortunately I don't know any of the specifics, but I believe this merits a special section on the page, and if anyone knows more details about it, could they please add it! Thanks, Michael
Hi Michael, this is something of a "dirty secret" of Fernando de Noronha, most of the forest was actually cut down during the time the island was used as a prison. There's also the problem of linseed, which was introduced as a cattle feed and now it is out of control, choking what's left of the original vegetation. Without the plant cover, the island doesn't retain as much water during the dry season and the plant life looks brown and dry. I've added a section about this. I've also 'downgraded' the diving section - it certainly is the best diving spot in Brazil but certainly not "one of the best in the world" - certainly inferior to the Caribbean and Australia - my sister, a diving instructor who lived and worked both in Noronha and the Caribbean, can attest to that.Tom-b 01:52, 28 January 2006 (UTC)
