Yessenia Martnez Pea

Cod. # 00107825


Galpagos: A Paradise in Danger

Galapagos is a beautiful and unique place in the world, and the
government of Ecuador created the Galpagos National Park in 1959,
which now protects 97% of the archipelagos total land area and
designates the remaining 3% for urban and rural human use. In 1979, the
islands were declared one of the first United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Sites, and
it was declared Biosphere Reserve in 1984. In addition, it is considered a
natural laboratory, but this beautiful place has been included in the list of
patrimonies in danger since 2007. The islands preserve their biodiversity,
ecological and evolutionary processes, in spite of the growing number of
tourists who visit each year. But this has changed in the last ten years and
more people come to the islands. As a result the actual model of tourism
has a negative effect on people, the use of resources, and the increase of
invasive species.

Galapagos has a permanent population in addition to a constant
tourist presence both on the islands and on cruise ships offshore. The
economy is based on tourism. This has increased in the last ten years,
affecting in a direct form the environment, because most of the people that
arrived dont know how to preserve the environment. The population is
30,000 inhabitants and 90% of them live in the coast. The number of
tourist is 160,000 each year. As a result, the population growth and the
demand of houses are increasing. Although there are no permanent major
rivers in Galapagos, there are many "encaadas" dry areas that fill easily
with water during heavy rains, causing major flooding, and damage to
public and private infrastructure. People construct in prohibited places like
this. When people construct in these places, they directly affect the natural
system, because this is a natural process, and this water should end in the
sea. Another major risk identified is the strength of the tectonic plates on
which the villages are constructed, and in particular, the risks of tsunamis.
People are not prepared to respond these kinds of disasters. For all these,
the authorities must create strict regulations to limit the time that foreign
people could stay in the island, more regulations in construction, and clear
plans to respond to natural disasters. But the most important change that
is needed is to create a culture that will enable these solutions.

This trend on population growth is likely to continue. The population
does not have enough installed capacity for responding environmental
disasters. There is not a health infrastructure capable of responding to
emergencies and stabilizing people. People continue building in unstable
areas identified as hazardous to flooding. For that reason, authorities
should have plans to preserve the species, but they should take care of
the human population too. It is very important to have a process of
regulations in creating new homes, hospitals, and basic necessities
without destroying the environment, and permitting a positive interaction
between humans and nature. In a new model of needs authorities could
resolve all these basic problems. In addition, the aid of the community in
decision making could be positive, and so could educate them in safety
and conservation.

The main problems identified for the conservation of the islands are
invasive species that compete or displace the native species. For
example, the blackberry, an invasive species which is very common in the
highlands, causes a disorder in the food chain of birds. Many native
species are vulnerable to these changes. Vulnerability is not only the
effect of introduced species, but also the geographical limitations of the
islands are too. Many species are confined to small land spaces, unlike
other species in continental territory. Any significant effect of habitat can
put these species in imminent danger of disappearing. Intense climatic
changes in the past placed several species in danger, and facilitated the
spread of invasive species into areas where they had not arrived. The El
Nio phenomenon caused a high mortality of sea lions, marine iguanas,
and other species important in Galapagos ecosystem in 1998. The
Galapagos Penguin was on the verge of extinction too, and its continued
existence was only possible when El Nio ended after a few months. A
clear message was left by the last climatic phenomenon, and it shows the
great weakness of the Galapagos species to climate change.

Galapagos is a World Heritage, where unique species of plants and
animals live. Islands need special attention from authorities and people,
and it is very important preserve this unique place. For that reason
population and tourist should take care it, respect them, and find away to
live in harmony with nature. The actual model of tourism should change
improving the sustainable tourism, the economy, a reduction in the use of
resources and less invasive species.



Bibliography

Extract on April 9, 2014; from: http://www.galapagospark.org/
Conditions of live in Galpagos; extract on April 8, 2014;
from:http://www.inec.gob.ec/estadisticas/?option=com_content
&view=article&id=93
Extract on April 8, 2014; from:
http://www.ecuadorencifras.gob.ec/wpcontent/descargas/Man
u-lateral/Resultados-provinciales/galapagos.pdf