Where LIFE thrives (Lucia Norris)
The Galapagos Islands are a very special place.
These virtually virgin islands have seen little human presence throughout their existence, and as a result their inhabitants feel no real threat from their potential predators. Famous for their endemic species, both above and below water, they are home to over 80% of the world's land birds and 97% of its reptiles and land mammals, found nowhere else on earth.
Situated at the confluence of several oceanic currents that create this unique array of habitats, the islands were discovered by Charles Darwin in 1835 aboard HMS Beagle. Under the command of Captain Robert FitzRoy, the ship was on its way home after spending three years charting the coasts of South America from the Rio de la Plata to Chiloe in southern Chile.
Belonging to the country of Ecuador they are located 1103 KM from the mainland (a 2 hour flight by standard commercial airline), in the northern part of South America. The archipelago is made up of 13 main islands and numerous smaller islands, islets and rocks, of which only four are inhabited: Floreana, Isabela, San Cristobal and Santa Cruz. The Galapagos Islands are one of the most pristine island ecosystems in the world, with 97% of the land area designated as a protected National Park - as such access to areas of the National Park is only permitted with a Naturalist Guide.
Due to the different wind patterns and elevations on each island, the Galapagos Islands have four distinct ecosystems: open forests of very large cacti; subtropical forests; dense, extremely humid forests; and treeless areas characterised by grasses and ferns. Volcanic activity on the islands has left thousands of cones and calderas. These unique formations on some of the islands give the island landscapes a lunar otherworldly quality. Seen as a conservation model for the rest of the world, and as the last remaining place on earth that is largely untouched by human activity, it is easy to understand the importance of the Galapagos Islands, and why organisations around the world work tirelessly alongside the Galapagos authorities to protect them.
One such organisation is the Galapagos Conservation Trust. It is the only UK-based NGO working with a vision to "conserve and protect the unique nature and beauty of the Galapagos Archipelago in perpetuity". The Trust supports, develops and promotes projects that achieve measurable conservation, sustainable livelihoods and environmental protection in the Galapagos, focusing on island restoration and marine conservation. Find out more on the GCT website.
Born in Quito, Ecuador to English and Ecuadorian parents, Lucia identifies as Quiteña - Galapagueña. She spent much of her youth in San Cristobal (the easternmost island in the Galapagos archipelago and the second most populated with around 6,000 people) while her father and mother set up the only insurance brokerage to serve all the islands.
She has been involved in sustainable development and conservation since 2009, working for Quito City Council, Fundación Futuro Latinoamericano, WWF, Fundación Jocotoco and as a consultant to improve the lives of grassroots recyclers in Quito.
Representing GCT in Ecuador, one of her goals is to connect community wisdom and science with public policy. Among the people she meets are Daniel Proano of Funcavid and co-founder of Co-Galapagos, an initiative to facilitate and support community-led work, and Alberto Andrade of Frente Insular, a movement to protect the marine ecosystems of the Galápagos. Our film follows Lucia around the islands of San Cristobal, Santa Cruz and Quito on the Ecuadorian mainland as she takes us on a journey through her life, the islands and how GCT is helping to develop them.
Links:
Fundación Futuro Latinoamericano: https://www.ffla.net/es/ WWF: https://www.wwf.org.uk/ Fundación Jocotoco: https://www.site.jocotoco.org/ Co-Galapagos: https://galapagosconservation.org.uk/our-work/projects/co-galapagos/ Frente Insular: https://www.rewild.org/team/alberto-andrade
Sources:
https://galapagosconservation.org.uk/
https://www.latinamericaforless.com/travel-guides/galapagos/