Patricia Jaramillo Díaz and Paúl Mayorga/CDF
After more than a decade of continuous effort, Baltra Island clearly shows the fruits of a visionary ecological restoration process. Thanks to the joint work of the Galápagos Verde 2050 Project research team of the Charles Darwin Foundation and the Galápagos National Park Directorate, the arid landscapes have begun to transform into functional ecosystems, where natural processes operate again and native species reclaim their space.
Patricia Jaramillo Díaz/CDF
Bettina Meier/CDF
1) What has been done since 2013?
In 2013, the first 200 Opuntia echios var. echios cacti were planted at two study sites, using protective mesh and water-saving technologies such as Groasis and Cocoon. The seedlings were produced in the nursery of the Galápagos National Park Directorate, on Santa Cruz Island, and later transferred to Baltra. In the following years, nearly half of these plants faced extreme conditions such as drought, herbivory, and degraded soils, enduring periods of water stress and adaptation. Against all odds, they managed to grow and survive in their natural habitat.
Patricia Jaramillo Díaz and Paúl Mayorga/CDF
Patricia Jaramillo Díaz and Paúl Mayorga/CDF
Patricia Jaramillo Díaz and Paúl Mayorga/CDF
From that first step, the restoration expanded to include 12 key species, selected for their fundamental role in the stability and functionality of the ecosystem (whether as a food source for native fauna, pollinator attractors, nitrogen fixers enriching the soil, or pioneers capable of colonizing degraded areas). These species are: Opuntia echios var. echios (cactus), Bursera graveolens subsp. malacophylla (endemic palo santo), Castela galapagensis (amargo), Scalesia crockeri (lechoso), Vachellia macracantha (acacia), Parkinsonia aculeata (palito verde), Cordia lutea (muyuyo), Maytenus octogona (arrayancillo), Senna pistaciifolia (senna), Lycium minimum (lycium), Vallesia glabra (peralillo), and Volkameria mollis (rodilla de caballo). Trees such as Bursera, Vachellia, and Parkinsonia act as nurse plants by offering shade, moisture, and protection, creating small refuges where other species can establish and thrive.
Alexandra Negoita/CDF
Alexandra Negoita/CDF
2) Where are we now?
Since the beginning of the project, more than 8,000 plants of these key species have been planted, of which more than 3,000 have survived and now fulfill essential ecological functions. Periodic field monitoring measures variables such as height, status (alive, dead, or regular), presence of herbivory, and other relevant observations. It also records planting treatments: water-saving technologies (Groasis, Cocoon, and hydrogel) and biochar (a charcoal that improves soil structure, increases nutrient availability, and helps retain moisture), as well as control plots without technology.
The most recent monitoring, in May 2025, revealed that almost 89% of the plants evaluated are alive and healthy. In the 38 exclusions (plots protected from herbivory and trampling), success has been even greater: 937 of the 1,009 Opuntias planted have survived, a 92.9% recruitment rate.
For the first time in more than a decade, natural regeneration of Opuntia and germinating Bursera seedlings were observed in areas previously without vegetation—a sign that the ecosystem is beginning to sustain itself.
Patricia Jaramillo Díaz/CDF
Patricia Jaramillo Díaz/CDF
This progress is also reflected in the removal of 1,200 Waterboxx devices and protective mesh, which are no longer necessary because the plants have reached a size and resilience that allow them to survive in arid conditions without additional aid.
3) Why is it important?
The Opuntias planted in 2013 have not only survived but have fully regained their ecological role: they provide shade for land iguanas, stabilize the soil, retain moisture, facilitate the germination of new species, and offer shelter to birds such as finches, which nest among their spines.
Patricia Jaramillo Díaz/CDF
Patricia Jaramillo Díaz/CDF
Each plant that grows, survives, and produces new seedlings represents a victory against degradation and biodiversity loss in arid zones, where climate and human pressures are intense. Restoration here means not just planting, but reactivating natural processes, bringing life back to an ecosystem, and sowing hope for the future.
All these results validate the strategy proposed in the Action Plan for the Ecological Restoration of Baltra and Plaza Sur (Jaramillo et al., 2024). They can also be explored in detail through the interactive platform RestorR-GV2050, where maps, species, and progress of restored sites in Baltra and other islands can be visualized.
Patricia Jaramillo Díaz/CDF
Are you as excited about this story as we are?
Baltra is regenerating thanks to ecological restoration… and you can be part of this change too!
Learn more about this project that is bringing life back to the arid ecosystems of Galápagos:
🔗 Restoration of arid zones – Charles Darwin Foundation
And if you’d like to leave your own mark, adopt an Opuntia. With your support, we can continue sowing hope, one cactus at a time:
🔗 Adopt an Opuntia here
Restoration is an act of conservation. Join us today.
Patricia Jaramillo Díaz
Principal Investigator - Galapagos Verde 2050
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