What does the Galapagos Green program do in ecological restoration projects in special use sites?
Population growth in Galapagos has resulted in a greater number of basic needs that must be provided to the population, such as education, food, health and waste management. To meet this demand, the DPNG establishes Sites for Special Public Use, which house facilities and services for the benefit of the public, such as stone material extraction areas and garbage dumps. These sites present extensive degradation both in the place itself and in its surroundings. Therefore, GV2050 has selected the Special Public Use Sites as study sites to carry out ecological restoration efforts. Three of these sites, the Floreana Black Granillo (gravel) Mine and the Floreana and Baltra garbage dumps, have been intervened for more than 8 years, obtaining successful results. Therefore, this project will focus on investigating the restoration process carried out so far and continuing the restoration of the most affected sites through the propagation of native and endemic plants using water-saving technologies.

Old Garbage Dump on Baltra Island.
What tools does the Galapagos Verde 2050 program use for the ecological restoration of threatened species?
One of the important limitations in the Galapagos Islands is the availability of fresh water, which is why it is necessary to optimize its use using water-saving technologies. The GV2050 program uses the following water saving technologies: Groasis Waterboxx®, Cocoon, Growboxx® and Hydrogel.
Groasis Waterboxx®. It is a technology that collects rainwater, storing it to provide it through a constant supply of water to the plant, allowing it to develop better.
Information on the use of this technology
Cocoon biodegradable boxes. With functions similar to Groasis Waterboxx, but made of biodegradable material that does not need to be removed at the end of use.
The video shows how Cocoon technology is used in other ecological restoration projects
Growboxx®. Made of biodegradable material, it has a hole in the center where the plant is sown and four holes in the lid where seeds can be germinated hydroponically.
More information on how this technology is used
Hydrogel. They are gels of polymeric materials that allow the retention of water in the soil to benefit the vegetation present on the site.
The benefits of hydrogel as a water saving technology

Water saving technologies used in the GV2050 program. a) Groasis Waterboxx®, b) Cocoon, c) Groasis Growboxx®, d) Hydrogel powder
What phases is the project timeline divided into?
General map of the Galapagos Islands detailing the Special Use sites on the Baltra, Floreana,San Cristóbal and Santa Cruz islands;
and the growth of the sowings that have been carried out since the beginning of the GV2050 program.
Phase 1: It began in July 2014 and was successfully completed in July 2017. Restoration activities began at Floreana at the black grit mine and old dump, and at Baltra at the old dump.
Phase 2: It began in August 2017 and will run until July 2027. The Cerro Colorado grit mine on San Cristóbal Island is added to this second phase of the Project. The Growboxx technology is also included in this second phase.
Phase 3: The last and most extensive phase of the program will initiate ecological restoration programs at the Isabela and Santa Cruz grit mine.