Overview| Challenges | Projects | Volunteers Needed | Project Needs
As a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Galápagos archipelago is renowned for its natural wonders and scientific significance. Lesser-known are its 30,000 human residents, more than half of whom live on the island of Santa Cruz concentrated in the city of Puerto Ayora. Puerto Ayora’s population has grown 2.5-fold in the past decade, mushrooming from 6,000 to 15,000 (official growth rate of 6.9%, the highest in Ecuador). The majority of immigrants arrive with non-environmental habits of littering, not recycling, and harassing wildlife. They do not abide by the Galapagos National Park rules, and generally do not understand the fragile ecosystem that surrounds them or how to protect it. The swell in human habitation has paralleled a dramatic growth in tourism; the number of visitors increased exponentially from 40,000 in 1990 to more than 173,000 in 2008.
Since large-scale, permanent residence in the islands is a recent phenomenon, infrastructure has not kept pace with the needs of the population. Until 2006, there was no system to recycle paper, plastic, or metal, and current user compliance is underwhelming. Presently, there is no treatment plant for the brackish, highly-contaminated water, nor does the city have a functional sewage system. In a place where speciation has occurred due to scarce resources, human presence in the Galápagos strains these already-limited resources and endangers delicate ecosystems.
The population in the Galapagos continues to expand, caused primarily by immigrants from mainland Ecuador who may not understand the fragile ecosystem. This creates problems of overpopulation and a strain on the local resources. By working with a local school on the Green Schools Initiative, we will promote sustainable development by involving school administrators, teachers, students, and parents in all phases of the project—from planning, implementation, maintenance, through evaluation/revisions. In this way, members of the school community will feel ownership of the project and its results.
