Chapter Three: An Empire of Skin
An interlude on the figure of lichens––symbiotic and cohabitative assemblages of life that are also capable of colonizing and reshaping its environment––leads into Chapter Three, “An Empire of Skin.” As widely as this chapter ranges, it is guided throughout by concepts of species invasions and management. And while it considers a host of organisms whose introductions into ecosystems have prompted acute change and dire responses, the chapter’s chief focus are beavers of the Fuegian forests and grasslands. The chapter strives to stay with the ethical ambiguity of killing one lifeform to save other forms of life. Along the way, it also recalls the vexed role beaver pelts have played in the colonial history of the Americas.
Questions to Consider
What makes an “invasive species”?
What roles have beavers played in the colonial histories of this region?
Images of Estancia life on Tierra del Fuego
