A MIDA case study on how the Galápagos archipelago, at the crossroads of three ocean currents, conserves evolution in action through World Heritage, Biosphere Reserve and Ramsar designations while sharing tourism benefits with local communities.
Description
Ecuador declared the Galápagos its first national park in 1959, protecting 97% of the land, and established the Galápagos Marine Reserve in 1986. The islands became the first World Natural Heritage Site in 1978, with the Marine Reserve added in 2001, followed by Biosphere Reserve status in 1984 and Ramsar designation of the Humedales del Sur de Isabela in 2002. Extreme isolation and diverse archipelagic landforms created the conditions for plant and animal forms found nowhere else, and inspired Charles Darwin to develop the theory of natural selection after his visit in 1835. Darwin's finches and mockingbirds, giant tortoises, land snails and countless plants remain iconic examples of adaptive radiation. Because so many residents depend on tourism for their livelihoods, visitation is carefully managed so that benefits are shared fairly and community awareness underpins the protection of fragile ecosystems.
