Charles Darwin Foundation

The Charles Darwin Foundation for the Galapagos Islands was founded in 1959, almost 60 years ago, under the auspices of UNESCO

(https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1) and the World Conservation Union. The Charles Darwin Research Station www.darwinfoundation.org is the headquarters for The Foundation, in the Galapagos archipelago.

The mission of the Charles Darwin Foundation for the Galapagos Islands, and its Research Station is to provide knowledge and assistance through scientific research and complementary actions to ensure the conservation of the environment and biodiversity in the Galapagos Archipelago.

Lonesome George at the Charles Darwin Research Station, estimated to be over 100 years old at his death in 2012.

The Charles Darwin Foundation is based in Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island, Galápagos, Ecuador.[1]

Charles Darwin Research Station

Coordinates: 0°45′00″S 90°19′00″W / 0.7500°S 90.3167°W / -0.7500; -90.3167

Entrance to Charles Darwin Research Station and Exhibition Hall (free entry) in Puerto Ayora, Galápagos Province, Ecuador.

The Charles Darwin Research Station (CDRS) is a biological research station operated by the Charles Darwin Foundation. It is located on the shore of Academy Bay in the village of Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos Islands, with satellite offices on Isabela and San Cristóbal islands.

In Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island, Ecuadorian and foreign scientists work on research and projects for conservation of the Galápagos terrestrial and marine ecosystems.

The Research Station, opened in 1964, and visitors can go to their Charles Darwin Exhibition Hall open to the public (free entry). Opens Monday to Sunday including public holidays. Times: 8:00am to 12:00pm and 2:00pm to 5:30pm.

The new Marine World Exhibition open on World Oceans Day in 2018 is also open to the public from Monday to Friday 7:30am to 5:00pm. Marine Projects are highlighted in this exhibition, conservation work and fun information for young kids too.

The Research Station also carries out educational projects for the local community of the Galápagos Islands, and works with a network of external researchers visiting the islands to conduct field work.

Objectives and work

The objectives of the Charles Darwin Foundation is to conduct scientific research and environmental education for conservation. The Station has a team of over one hundred scientists, educators, volunteers, research students, and support staff from all over the world.[2]

Scientific research and monitoring projects are conducted at the Charles Darwin Research Station in conjunction and cooperation with its main partner, the Galapagos National Park Service (GNPS), which functions as the principal government authority in charge of conservation and natural resource management in the Galapagos archipelago.

The work of the Charles Darwin Foundation main objectives:

The Charles Darwin Research Station has almost 60 years of experience conducting applied scientific research for the conservation of the Galapagos Islands. As official advisors to the Government of Ecuador, we have a long history of collaboration with the Galapagos National Park Directorate (GNPD) and other local, national and international institutions.

The Galapagos Islands are currently facing many challenges including invasive species, climate change, illegal fishing, increasing population growth and tourism. In addition, there are still considerable gaps in what we know about Galapagos biodiversity, how Galapagos ecosystems function and where management interventions should be carried out. We are also researching ways to restore degraded ecosystems and recover populations of key species that are in decline. Currently, we manage over 20 projects and all of them have something in common: they are led by a committed team of scientists and supported by resourceful administrative staff.

Many fieldwork conditions are extreme and include intense heat, tricky boat disembarkations or treks through thorny blackberry thickets. Our incredible team at the Charles Darwin Research Station is passionate about the work it does and is willing to work as hard as it takes to ensure Galapagos is preserved conserved for future generations.

https://www.darwinfoundation.org/en/research

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://www.galapagos.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/GCAnnualReport2011-12-RVSDsmall2.pdf
  2. ↑
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