CONSERVATION PROJECTS AND OUR IMPACT THROUGH WORKING WITH THE GALAPAGOS NATIONAL PARK

Projects Galapagos focuses on education and conservation. Working with the Galapagos National Park (GNP), we monitor native wildlife (petrels, sea lions, iguanas), help care for and feed giant tortoises at La Galapaguera, conduct beach clean ups, analyse trash, and report results to the GNP, Projects Abroad, and partners. We also support the Municipality’s Centre for invasive species control, where dogs are cared for.

Volunteers are based in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno and contribute through research and practical hands-on work. One of the main responsibilities is machete work—cutting down invasive species such as blackberry and guava that crowd out native plants and limit habitat for tortoises and birds. It is hard work, but it keeps invasive plants from spreading so wildlife can thrive. Habitat restoration also includes raising indigenous plants in nurseries and replanting them across the island.

Be prepared for hard work and know you are directly aiding animals and birds here. You will be trained and supervised by Projects Abroad staff and GNP rangers when using machetes and other tools, and gloves are required. We maintain conservation tools at the Eco-Reserve workshop: machetes, picks, chainsaw, grass cutter, strimmers, shovels, wheelbarrow, and a machete sharpener.

The local community is central to conservation. Volunteers may help deliver education programmes to school children, reinforcing long-term stewardship of the islands.

Galapagos Conservation Projects

Conservation volunteers are based in the town of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno and will have the unique opportunity of becoming involved in a wide range of activities. You will contribute to the conservation and preservation of these unique and abundant marine and terrestrial ecosystems through much needed research and practical hands-on work.

One of our main responsibilities is also machete work, which means cutting down invasive species such as blackberry bushes and other types of introduced plants that have damaged the Galapagos Islands’ wildlife since they were brought here by humans. It is very important because we are not allowed to use most chemicals in the Galapagos. We cut down the invasive species manually because they are pushing out the native, endemic plants and animals and are making some of the land unusable for the giant tortoises and birds, so they can’t lay their eggs. Some of the native plants are eaten by the wildlife here, so it is important that they are given a chance to grow. Machete work is hard, is one of our main daily activities, and lasts for at least an hour a day. We understand that this is hard work, but because of our volunteers, we have been able to beat the invasive plants.

Be prepared for hard work and know that you are aiding all the animals and birds here and that we all appreciate your efforts. We have managed to stop the invasive ones from spreading, and because of this the animals and birds are able to thrive. When you are working with machetes, for security reasons, you will be trained to use them by our expert staff, and you will be accompanied and supervised at all times by PA staff and GNP rangers. Always remember your gloves, too, because some of the plants have thorns and can cut your hands.

Habitat restoration work will also play a major role in your work on the island. Projects Abroad has a nursery which focuses on producing indigenous plants which will be introduced throughout the island. Some of your time will be dedicated to eradicating invasive species and replacing them with indigenous ones grown in our nursery or the one belonging to the Galapagos National Park.

The local community plays a very important part in conserving the future of the Galapagos Islands and as a volunteer you may be involved in an education programme designed to deliver the conservation message to the local school children.

We have conservation working tools, such as machetes, picks, a chainsaw, a grass cutter, strimmers, shovels, a wheelbarrow, and a machete sharpener in the Eco-Reserve workshop.

A typical week’s work

Volunteers usually work Monday–Friday (and sometimes Saturday morning) alongside the Galapagos National Park authorities and our Conservation Coordinator. Below are the core activities mirrored from the original site.

1. Giant Tortoise Breeding Centre (La Galapaguera)

This centre run by the Galapagos National Park Agency is the only protected haven on the island where the giant tortoises, endemic to the Galapagos, are kept safe and bred. Volunteers help with the upkeep of the centre by feeding the animals, cleaning their pools, removing invasive plant species. A second role you will help with is the cultivation and maintenance of different areas which Projects Abroad has been responsible for since 2014. This land produces the Otoy plant which is the tortoises’ staple diet and the aim is to reduce the cost of the centre for the agency by making it self-sufficient in the production of the plant.

2. Galapagos Petrel Monitoring

The Galapagos Petrel is an endangered sea bird that is endemic to the Galapagos and on the UICN Red List. This bird is unique and builds its nest in specific habitats dominated by native Miconia plants. However, the arrival of man has led to the introduction of invasive species such as the blackberry and guava tree. These are outcompeting the Miconia plants and a second intruder, the black rat, is destroying nests and feeding on eggs and chicks. Volunteers have helped to eradicate these species and by monitoring the nests, have assessed the success of our work and the birds’ behaviour within the bird colonies.

3. Sea Lion Monitoring

Sea lion monitoring is separated into two parallel studies. The first has been running since 2013 and involves monitoring the populations of sea lions in and around the area of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. We collect data about population numbers, sex ratios and breeding from several different beaches as we study the long-term dynamics of the resident populations.

4. Invasive Plant Species Removal

You will be working on the elimination and control of introduced plants, such as blackberry, guava and supirrosa, in the protected areas located on the upper part of the island. These areas such as Laguna del Junco, Cerro San Joaquin, La Comuna, the Tortoise Breeding centre and Cerro Colorado are in need of our help as these plants are altering the ecosystems of the Galapagos and displacing species of endemic plants like Miconia, which are competing for food, light, nutrients and geographical space.

5. Working in the GNP Plant Nursery

Removal of invasive plants is essential work, but we must also help in the reforestation of endemic species. The activities include collecting soil to mix with compost, collecting seeds and small plants to bring to the nursery and cultivating the saplings for future planting. We are working with many endemic species but are concentrating on mangrove trees which are essential to the coastal regions of the island. There are two nurseries, one run by the GNP beside the Giant Tortoise Breeding Centre, and the other is being developed at the Eco-Reserve.

6. Beach and Town Clean Ups

You will be involved in coastal cleaning along the main beaches people frequent. The goals are to keep these areas free of garbage and ensure that the resident species are less likely to die because of contact with dangerous rubbish. These include Playa Mann, Loberia, Carola, and Puerto Chino, as well as PMB, El Progreso, and the main road between PMB and El Progreso.

7. Marine Iguana Monitoring

As with the sea lions, it is important to monitor and study the populations of the unique marine iguana on the islands. Transects are walked and data collected on population numbers, sex ratios and population dynamics. Over time we will be able to assess the health of the marine iguana populations and evaluate their reproductive success.

8. Bird Monitoring

Cerro Colorado is an area where we have been working since 2013 to remove invasive species and reforest endemic ones. By studying the bird populations, we can evaluate if the change in flora is encouraging the return of endemic bird species. The sea bird census is designed to study population numbers, nesting sites and migratory visitors.

9. Environmental Education Programme

You may be involved in preparing and presenting workshops about conservation awareness in the local schools and community centres. It is important that you help and become an inspiration for the people of the island to learn about conservation and the importance of preserving their unique home.

10. Municipality Invasive Species Control Centre

The Centre looks after homeless dogs who are cared for by in-house staff, and volunteers help with washing and taking them for walks, and maintaining their living quarters and recreation area.

Conservation and Our Impact