Anna Calle
Junior Researcher
Anna has always been fascinated by the biodiversity of the Galapagos Islands and the Amazon rainforest. Her desire to protect these unique ecosystems motivated her to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara, with the support of a SENESCYT scholarship awarded by the government of Ecuador. She also holds a master’s degree with a specialization in Conservation Planning and a focus on Environmental Data Science from the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management. She is a member of the Galapagos’ Plants Specialists Group of the IUCN’s Species Survival Commission and the Society for Ecological Restoration. She joined the CDF in 2020 where she serves as a junior researcher for the Galapagos Verde 2050 program. Her work focuses on ecological restoration, biodiversity conservation, and data analysis.
Anna's stories
Anna's programs
Land
Conservation of threatened plant speciesMore than half of the endemic plant species in Galapagos are currently classified as threatened. The potential loss of these imperiled species not only disrupts ecosystem integrity, but also jeopardizes the survival of iconic native fauna that depend on it. We are updating the IUCN Red List of endangered plant species of Galapagos in order to enable targeted species conservation actions.
Land
Restoration of Arid ZonesIn Galapagos, 83% of the landmass falls within the arid zone. Restoring plant communities in this zone is challenging and slow, and natural regeneration in severely degraded areas is very limiting. Our scientists work to restore the arid habitat across various islands in the archipelago, notably Baltra Island, which has undergone significant human alteration, and special use sites such as garbage dumps and quarries on inhabited islands.