View from the Executive Office

Graham Watkins, Executive Director, Charles Darwin Foundation

In early November 2007 the Charles Darwin Foundation Assembly and Board held their 36^th meeting in Galapagos. We were particularly happy that Randall Keynes, the great-great grandson of Charles Darwin, agreed to join the Charles Darwin Foundation board during the meeting.

This year to date has been eventful with local, national and international recognition of the deep rooted challenges to the long term conservation of the archipelago. The recognition of these challenges had much to do with the publication of the ‘Galapagos Report 2007-2008’ and ‘Galapagos at Risk’ which clearly identified the problems in Galapagos and their underlying causes.

During the year, we also have worked with local and national Government to move forward substantive change in the islands. In particular, we facilitated an international workshop on the future of vocational training in Galapagos. In October, we also worked with local institutions to develop principles for a new tourism model for Galapagos.

Both of these issues will require substantial work before they have a positive impact on sustainability in Galapagos. The year also marked the end of the very successful Global Environment Facility Invasive Species project; the results of which we report on in this newsletter.

We have also begun to develop the new Darwin Galapagos Education Center to be launched in 2009 to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of Charles Darwin Foundation, the 200^th anniversary of Darwin’s birth, the 150^th anniversary of the publication of the ' Origin of Species'.

I hope you enjoy the contents of the Newsletter and furthermore that you will continue to support the activities of the Charles Darwin Foundation and the Government of Ecuador in Galapagos.

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‘Grow me instead’: the CDF native gardens project

The new native gardens at Charles Darwin Research Station were made for local and intenational visitors to learn more about endemic and native plants of Galapagos

We have new and wonderful gardens at the Charles Darwin Foundation (CDF) in Puerto Ayora, using only native and endemic plants.

Following the award of a two year grant from the Nordic Friends of Galapagos, the Finnish Government and Roma Pizza, we started to landscape and expand our gardens to encourage others to do the same. Galapagos has a diverse and beautiful native flora, comprising 500 native species of which 180 are found nowhere else in the world.

The aim of this project is to provide gardeners in Santa Cruz with native alternatives to introduced species, thus helping to protect the biodiversity of this archipelago.

Invasive alien species are one of the biggest threats to biodiversity in Galapagos.

About 60% of the 800 introduced plant species were introduced as ornamentals; some have already become invasive, others are waiting to do so.

Beside the plants, with posters and information we are providing a more interesting and informative site for local and foreign visitors who come to our Research Station.

We have also been working in our upland nursery in Bellavista, setting up an example native forest with the help of the Friends of Galapagos in Japan (Japanese Association for Galapagos - JAGA). The nursery is also producing plants for people wishing to reforest their farmland.

These improvements have galvanised the local community into action. We are working with six schools, including setting up two small nurseries, the university students are growing plants with us to re-landscape the entrance of Puerto Ayora, we have created a native garden for the Municipality, the Capitania is sending staff to grow plants to redo their gardens, and we have produced 2,000 plants for people in Santa Cruz.

It is one of our favorite projects — making a positive difference, working with people to create beautiful spaces using the native and endemic flora of Galapagos. The next step is to produce a guide to native plants for gardens.

A General Assembly like never before

Peter Kramer, President of the CDF General Assembly, shares a moment with other members and staff while planting a tree in our nursery

This year we experienced a CDF General Assembly meeting like never before. The assembly meetings included a public event in the agenda with local participation in a symposium about the past, present and future of the CDF in Galapagos.  

Another outcome of this meeting was the election of new members to the CDF Board. All of them bring great passion and experience to help CDF’s mission of science for conservation of Galapagos.

The new members are: Randal Keynes, the great-great grandchild of Charles Darwin; Maria Eulalia Arizaga Balfour, a Galapagos resident with strong connections within the local and national community; Pablo Iturralde, whose strengths are finances and business management; and Rodolfo Rendón, former Minister of the Environment.

At the end of our annual meeting, sixty new native trees were planted as part of the final activities of the 36^th Charles Darwin Foundation General Assembly meeting. Members of the Assembly and CDF staff worked together in the Foundation’s nursery located in the town of Bellavista in the highlands of the island. Each person planted a tree and shared an unforgettable moment while contributing to the nursery’s experimental native garden.

This new format of the annual General Assembly meeting was a resounding success and created a much richer context in which the Assembly members can partner with the staff of CDF and the local community to help secure the future of Galapagos.

Training and knowledge for the guides

In October we started to support the Galapagos National Park Service’s intensive refresher courses for naturalist guides from both the National Park and the Marine Reserve. The course is mandatory for guides to renew their licenses.

The course, which is the first offered in roughly 6 years, enables the guides to update their knowledge of scientific research as well as local and national laws and regulations related to preserving the biodiversity of the Galapagos Islands. It also enables the GNPS to maintain contact with the Guides.

The weekly three-day course includes presentations by scientists from the Charles Darwin Foundation, INGALA, Ministry of Tourism, as well as a round-table discussion held with the GNPS Director Raquel Molina.  Subjects presented include the latest research in the areas of botany, invertebrates, vertebrates and marine biology, environmental interpretation, regulations pertaining to fishing licenses and INGALA, as well as first aid. 

Courses content can be altered based on group feedback.  The Charles Darwin Foundation has been helping to coordinate and prepare scientists to conduct presentations.

Contact us

Charles Darwin Foundation (aisbl), Puerto Ayora, Isla Santa Cruz, Galapagos, Ecuador.
Tel. (+593) 5-2-526-146/147
E-mail: cdrs@fcdarwin.org.ec

Web site: www.darwinfoundation.org

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© 2007 Charles Darwin Foundation (aisbl), Galapagos, Ecuador. Design, text and images are the intellectual property of the CDF unless otherwise acknowledged, and copies may not be made without prior permission from CDF.