Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
development continues, threatening both conservation goals and the underlying
ecological integrity of the archipelago.
This paper discusses some of the challenges in meeting both human livelihood
and conservation goals in the Galápagos Islands. We hereby propose that the key to
the future conservation of the islands is to think about their connections with the
rest of the world and rescue or invent lifestyles adapted to singular environments
marked by a specific geographic isolation. Such a more sustainable lifestyle will
require five inter-related lines of action: a substantially improved leadership in
public administration and planning; a drastic change in tourism policy favoring
lower tourist numbers but promoting longer visits; sustainable enterprise
development; an educational and training system based on locally relevant curricula
and employment prospects; and conservation solutions geared to address expanding
environmental problems.
Where Are the Galápagos Islands?
The Galápagos are low-latitude tropical oceanic islands located about 1,000 km
west of the South American mainland (Fig.
6.1
). The islands are volcanic in ori-
gin, and young in geologic time; the older, easterly islands are 3-6 million years
old (Geist et al.
1985
). They are characteristically arid. Human settlements are
concentrated in the few humid highlands of the larger islands, and facing the
prevailing winds (the five islands with permanent settlements are indicated in
Fig.
6.1
). The Galápagos National Park (GNP) was created in 1959 and covers
97% of the islands' total land area (of 8,000 km
2
). The surrounding Galápagos
Marine Reserve was created in 1999 (133,000 km
2
). The Galápagos is still con-
sidered to be relatively pristine, as 95% of its pre-human biodiversity remains
(Bensted-Smith
2002
). Until recently negative human impacts on the islands were
minimized because of: (1) the area's relatively recent colonization; (2) the
islands' aridity, which makes most areas unsuitable for human settlement; and (3)
the early designation of the area as a National Park.
In April 2007, the President of Ecuador declared the Galápagos “at risk” and
identified its conservation as a national priority. The Presidential declaration was
reinforced on June 2007 when UNESCO included the Galápagos Islands in its
description of
World Heritage in Danger
(UNESCO
2010
). According to UNESCO,
the islands' outstanding natural and cultural heritage is threatened by: (a) weak
local institutions and piecemeal approach to planning; (b) economic and population
growth driven by an unregulated and unsustainable expansion of tourism; (c) failure
to reform the education system as previously recommended; and (d) increased
threats to biodiversity from invasive species, pollution and natural resource
extraction. These threats were detailed in the commentary entitled “Galápagos at
risk: A socioeconomic analysis of the situation in the archipelago” (Watkins and
Cruz
2007
). Despite the real challenges posed, growing recognition of the dangers
of ecological degradation in the Galápagos presents an opportunity for change.
Search WWH ::
Custom Search