Soledad Gaztambide
Droughts and Hurricanes in the U.S. Caribbean
During the summer of 2018, the Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Center and the U.S. Geological Survey recorded the oral histories of resource managers attending a U.S. Caribbean drought workshop in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The oral testimonies collected here provide lessons learned from the past and solutions for the future. We hear stories of extreme storms like Hurricanes Irma and Maria, as well as stories of slower-moving chronic issues like drought and how they impact communities and ecosystems. These stories also provide insight into the scientific needs of the natural resource community in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands – and we learn what types of information could help managers effectively plan for future extreme weather events. As a whole, these individual stories — in their own native voices from U.S. Caribbean communities — give us access to a collection of experiences with the potential to help communities and researchers now and in the future.
These oral histories are held in the The Digital Library of the Caribbean (dLOC), a cooperative digital library for resources from and about the Caribbean and circum-Caribbean. The dLOC partner institutions are the core of dLOC. dLOC partners retain all rights to their materials and provide access to digitized versions of Caribbean cultural, historical, and research materials currently held in archives, libraries, and private collections. You can view the complete Caribbean oral history series here.
CastingWords
Soledad Gaztambide is involved in environmental management and research, particularly focused on tropical forestry. She is currently employed as the Environmental Policy and Government Relations Coordinator at the Conservation Trust of Puerto Rico. Previously, Soledad worked with an Environmental Justice organization in New York City, focusing on advocating for public transportation, bike safety, and pedestrian infrastructure. She holds a Master's degree in urban and environmental policy and planning, and before that, worked as a GIS Analyst in a Planning Office. Soledad's undergraduate degree is in Cultural Anthropology and Geography.
Scope and Content Note
The interview with Soledad Gaztambide, conducted in 2018, provides valuable insights into experiences with past drought and extreme weather events, particularly Hurricane Maria, and management strategies to enhance resiliency in the face of future weather events. Soledad shared personal experiences during Hurricane Hugo in 1989 and the 2015 drought, shedding light on the impact on her family and community. The interview delves into the challenges faced by various sectors, including agriculture, during these events. Soledad emphasized the importance of considering climate change in management planning and expressed concerns about the lack of proactive measures and planning for extreme weather events. Furthermore, she highlighted the need for participatory processes and dialogue to address environmental challenges, emphasizing the importance of integrating historical knowledge and perceptions with technical and scientific analyses. The interview provides valuable perspectives on environmental management and the need for community engagement in addressing climate-related challenges.
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