Jo Anne Van Tilburg of Rapa Nui's role in Polynesian seafaring history; Explore the natural environment of the Pacific Ocean and the ecology of Rapa Nui as part of that environment; Develop cultural exchanges with other Pacific islanders and continental peoples through the celebration of Rapa Nui maritime skills. Jo Anne Van Tilburg Jo Anne Van Tilburg is an American archaeologist best known for her research on the statues of Easter Island (Rapa Nui). Her primary specialty is rock art. Van Tilburg was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota and graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1965, receiving her Ph.D. from the University of California
Rapa Nui National Park of the island has been declared as Rapa Nui National Park which, on 22 March 1996, UNESCO designated a World Heritage Site under cultural criteria (i), (iii), & (v). The park is under the administrative control of the Corporación Nacional Forestal (CONAF), which provides legal protection to the total area of the island. As Easter Island has insufficient resources for conserving its natural heritage, the Government of Chile and the National Council of Monuments have provided financial support for the conservation efforts. Geographically isolated, the island forms the eastern geographic and cultural boundary of Polynesia. It is west of Chile,