Download Why Are HEALTHY ECOSYSTEMS Important?

ECOSYSTEM
RESTORATION INITIATIVE
2014-2018
Yellow Warbler © Delaney Anderson
Why Are HEALTHY ECOSYSTEMS Important?
T
he long-term protection of Galapagos depends upon healthy natural ecosystems and the restoration of the
Islands closer to their historical condition — as they existed prior to the first arrival of humans. The natural
balance of the plants and animals that evolved in Galapagos was damaged long ago by whalers, pirates,
early settlers, and the many invasive species that arrived with them. Recent human activity and the increasing
impacts of non-native species have continued to disrupt many fundamental natural processes involving
interactions among plants, animals, microorganisms, and their environment. If left unchecked, the Galapagos
Islands will eventually suffer irreversible losses of native and endemic flora and fauna.
GALAPAGOS CONSERVANCY:
RESTORATION IN ACTION
Over the past 20 years, Galapagos Conservancy has helped to restore
many threatened animal populations and to reduce the impact of invasive
species with an unprecedented commitment of personnel, resources, and
expertise. Between 2014 and 2018, GC seeks to invest more than
$4 million in ecosystem restoration projects. Our overarching goals are:
• Reducing the human footprint, including impacts from introduced species
• Restoring uninhabited islands closer to their historical condition prior to
the first arrival of humans in the Archipelago
• Lessening the negative impact of humans on the inhabited islands.
Sunrise at Garrapatero on Santa Cruz
© Sarah Knutie
In recent years, conservation efforts have shifted from a species-specific
approach to an approach that strives to restore entire ecosystems. Building on the
successful eradication of introduced species, such as feral goats and rats that can
dramatically alter natural systems, GC’s efforts over the next five years will focus
on the holistic restoration of habitats and islands. Projects targeting the islands
that are inhabited by humans will meld biological research with social science,
linking ecosystem restoration with sustainable livelihoods for the people who
live there.
TURNING BACK THE CLOCK, ISLAND BY ISLAND
GC WILL INVEST $4,000,000 OVER 5 YEARS
Protecting and restoring one of the world’s most remarkable places — the Galapagos Islands —
is at the core of our Ecosystem Restoration Initiative.
Tapia (right) carries a giant tortoise on Pinta Island in 2010.
© Linda Cayot
New Leadership for
Giant Tortoise Restoration
Washington Tapia,
Tortoise Team Leader
Washington Tapia (Wacho), a Galapagos native, has
been working for Galapagos conservation since his high
school days. He began as a volunteer at the Charles Darwin
Research Station (CDRS) working at the tortoise and land
iguana rearing centers. He received a scholarship from the
CDRS to complete his university
studies from Universidad Tecnica
del Norte in Ibarra, Ecuador and
completed his thesis on giant
tortoises of Cinco Cerros on
southern Isabela Island under the
supervision of Dr. Linda Cayot. He
then worked for the Galapagos
National Park Directorate for
fifteen years, leading their science
program and technical group.
Wacho is now assuming
the leadership role for the
Washington Tapia with
GC’s Dr. Linda Cayot.
© Patricia Jaramillo
Giant Tortoise Restoration
Initiative, working directly with the Galapagos National Park
Directorate and international tortoise experts. He is a reptile
expert and ideally suited to lead the project management
efforts for giant tortoise conservation. Wacho has a longterm vision for Galapagos, is dedicated to ensuring a
positive future for the Islands, and is deeply passionate about
tortoises.
The success of the Tortoise Initiative will depend upon
its having an exceptional management team, overseen and
guided by a knowledgeable, experienced leader. Wacho will
be responsible for planning, development, and execution
of research and management projects; collaboration and
coordination with the park, scientists, and others; data analysis
and communication; project evaluation; and managementoriented and peer-reviewed publications. Dr. Linda Cayot will
provide overall supervision of the project.
Fessl, Causton, and Jaeger lead GC-funded projects.
GIANT TORTOISE RESTORATION
Highest Priorities
Scientist Spotlight
Giant tortoises have been extinct on Floreana since the
mid-1800s and, with the loss in 2012 of the famous tortoise
Lonesome George, the giant tortoise of Pinta Island was added
to the list of extinct species. However, with the recent discovery
of tortoise hybrids on Wolf Volcano with both Pinta and
Floreana ancestry, we have the opportunity to return tortoise
populations to both of these islands. By removing as many
hybrids of non-Wolf ancestry as possible, we can also strengthen
the genetic lineage of the original Wolf Volcano tortoise species.
We are establishing a small team of experts to work directly
with the Galapagos National Park Directorate in the planning
and implementation of all tortoise restoration projects.
Total funding needed: $1,200,000
$240,000 per year for five years beginning in 2014
Long-term Priorities
Major efforts over the next five years and beyond will include
the return of giant tortoises to Santa Fe Island, and population
surveys and more extensive genetic sampling of the lesserknown populations of southern Isabela, San Cristóbal,
and Santiago islands. Ongoing research on tortoise-plant
interactions on Española Island to enhance habitat restoration
efforts will be expanded to several other arid islands. In
addition, an enhanced data and information management
system will be developed.
Total funding needed: $550,000
$110,000 per year for five years beginning in 2014
SAVING THE LAND BIRDS
Several iconic land bird populations are in a spiraling decline.
Mangrove and medium tree finches, as well as the Floreana
mockingbird, are all critically endangered. Timely studies of
these species, as well as vermilion flycatchers, may help prevent
the first extinction of a bird species in Galapagos since humans
discovered the islands. With the focus on the inhabited islands
of Santa Cruz, San Cristóbal, Isabela, and Floreana, the goal is
to develop management methods to ensure the survival of these
rare Galapagos birds. Galapagos Conservancy will fund the lead
scientists in this effort.
Total funding needed: $500,000
$100,000 per year for five years beginning in 2014
Funded by Galapagos Conservancy, these
scientists at the Charles Darwin Foundation
(CDF) lead the way to save land birds, combat
invasive insects, and restore the highlands.
Giant tortoises wallow in a shady pond in the Santa Cruz highlands.
© Iris Waanders
COMBATTING INVASIVE SPECIES
Highest Priorities
Galapagos is at risk from the harmful effects of introduced
invasive plants, animals, and micro-organisms. Invasive species
can change habitats, crowd out or replace native species, and
affect human activities. It is vital to develop management tools
to combat the most destructive of these invaders, as well as
improve detection methods to identify new risks. Research
and management of the introduced parasitic bot fly, Philornis
downsi, which is negatively impacting finch and other land
bird populations, is our top priority. Galapagos Conservancy
continues to fund the lead scientist in this effort.
Total funding needed: $500,000
$100,000 per year for five years beginning in 2014
Long-term Priorities
Other priority projects within the invasive species program
include research to develop methodologies to combat other
invasive insects, the Giant African Land Snail, and plants.
Galapagos Conservancy will also support the campaign to
eliminate introduced rats, mice, and feral cats on Floreana
Island, as well as follow-up projects related to the rodent
eradication campaigns of 2011 and 2012.
Total funding needed: $500,000
$100,000 per year for five years beginning in 2014
Dr. Charlotte Causton is an entomologist and specialist in
biological control of invasive insects. Beginning in 1997,
Charlotte led invertebrate research at the CDF for 10 years
and helped design the quarantine program for Galapagos.
Her ground-breaking research on the control of the invasive
cottony cushion scale led to the successful release of the
Australian ladybug as a biological control mechanism.
Charlotte is currently coordinating an international effort to
combat a very problematic insect, the invasive bot fly Philornis
downsi. She organized a 2012 international workshop in
Galapagos that resulted in both a strategic research and
management plan of this invasive fly, as well as the Land Bird
Conservation Plan designed to reverse the decline of song
birds, including many of “Darwin’s finches.”
Dr. Birgit Fessl is currently the Coordinator for the Land
Bird Conservation Plan for Galapagos, developed in 2012
to define research and action priorities to ensure the survival
of the most vulnerable species. Birgit is an ornithologist,
specializing in breeding biology and feeding ecology. She
began her relationship with Galapagos while studying
woodpecker finches in the mid ‘90s before moving on to
undertake land bird censuses and to study the impact of the
invasive bot fly Philornis downsi on land birds. From 20062009, she was the Mangrove Finch Project field manager
and has since continued as scientific advisor to that project.
Birgit brings years of in-the-field experience and will build on
established relationships with partners.
Dr. Heinke Jaeger is CDF’s resident Restoration Ecologist
in charge of research for the holistic restoration of habitats
and islands. Heinke is best known for her work in the late
‘90s on the ecology of the invasive quinine tree, which helped
contribute to its control. She worked as a senior plant ecologist
at the CDF from 2000–2005, and then completed her PhD
on the invasion and control of quinine on Santa Cruz. Dr.
Jaeger returned to CDF in 2013 and collaborates with both
Dr. Fessl and Dr. Causton on investigations of plant/animal
relationships to find solutions to pressing threats.
“E
cosystem restoration is at the core of our work to save and protect the incredible species and
environments that make up the Galapagos Islands for posterity. Saving endangered species requires
urgent action, but, over the long term, we need to preserve, protect, and restore the ecological and
evolutionary processes that make Galapagos unique.
— Dr. Linda Cayot, Science Advisor for Galapagos Conservancy
A lonely giant tortoise ambles away from a herd of feral goats on Isabela
Island back in the 1990s. For years, goats ravaged the landscape at the
expense of Galapagos’ iconic giant tortoises and other species. © GNPD
Island-Restoration
Success Stories
Restoring individual islands requires collaboration
among a large group of organizations and
individuals, multi-million-dollar budgets with project
timelines spanning several years, and a commitment
and persistence to keep going. Galapagos
Conservancy plays several important roles within
these mega-projects, from funder, to catalyst, to
project leader. Our agility and ability to respond
quickly allow us to help solve urgent problems at a
moment’s notice.
Project Isabela
(1998-2006)
Galapagos Conservancy was one of the original
collaborators on Project Isabela, the largest ecosystem
restoration effort in the world to be conducted in a
protected area.
This project began in response to the massive destruction
by introduced goats of both native vegetation and terrain. A
multi-million-dollar endeavor, this project removed invasive
mammals from northern Isabela, Santiago, and Pinta
islands, as the first step in restoring the ecology of these
islands. During the nine-year project, GC invested more than
$1,000,000 which, coupled with a multi-million dollar grant
from the Global Environment Facility, helped successfully
eradicate feral goats and pigs from several islands, trained
Galapagos National Park rangers in the use of GPS and other
technologies, created new methodologies applicable to future
projects, and built local capacity for managing multi-year,
multi-million-dollar conservation projects.
Lessons learned during Project Isabela have helped
ensure success in rodent eradication campaigns on other
islands, as well as other large-scale conservation projects
taking place throughout the archipelago today — and well
into the future.
”
Climate Change Implications for
Galapagos
Changes to our planet’s climate caused by human activities
could be more rapid than has been observed in many thousands
of years. In the islands famous for being the world’s “laboratory
of evolution,” the unique flora and fauna may not be able to
adapt quickly enough. Decision-makers in all sectors, from
natural resource managers to those responsible for human
welfare, urgently need scientifically-based information on the
potential impacts of global climate change on Galapagos.
A one-year expert-in-residence is needed to evaluate
climate change implications and adapt global-scale oceanic
and atmospheric processes to the Eastern Tropical Pacific
zone, within which the Galapagos Islands are located. This will
provide a scientific foundation for evaluating which climate
change scenario(s) is most realistic and determining links
between global-scale predictions and on-the-ground natural
processes in Galapagos. Galapagos Conservancy will collaborate
in the establishment of a network of climate monitoring stations
throughout Galapagos.
Total funding needed (1-year only): $110,000
Project Floreana
Floreana Island is one of the most ecologically degraded
islands in the archipelago. The first to be settled by humans,
Floreana has sustained a significant loss of biodiversity, with the
highest number of local extinctions, including giant tortoises,
mockingbirds, and snakes. The restoration of Floreana must
link conservation with the lives of the approximately 120 human
inhabitants. Already, the eradication of introduced goats from
Floreana has resulted in the recovery of native vegetation,
and plans are underway to eliminate introduced rodents
and feral cats. Recovery of the habitat will pave the way for
reintroductions of giant tortoises and the Floreana mockingbird.
We will continue to collaborate with our partners in this project,
filling funding gaps and providing expertise when needed.
Total funding needed: $150,000
$30,000 per year for five years beginning in 2014
Post-Eradication Monitoring
Recent eradications of goats, pigs, and rats on several islands
have resulted in the rapid recovery of vegetation. However,
we are seeing some unexpected impacts, including the spread
of introduced plants in some areas. Galapagos Conservancy
recently funded a study on Galapagos hawks to assess how the
recovering vegetation might affect a bird that primarily hunts in
open habitat. While post-eradication monitoring demonstrates
the effectiveness of removing introduced species, it is also
imperative to be able to identify unforeseen problems in the
restoration process and determine appropriate management
actions. Galapagos Conservancy will continue to fund
monitoring efforts on Pinzón (post-rat-eradication) and other
islands.
Total funding needed: $200,000
$40,000 per year for five years beginning in 2014
Understanding Complex Plant-AnimalHabitat Relationships on Arid Islands
Current research on Española Island is highlighting longterm impacts of the eradicated goat population that had not
previously been understood, such as soil impaction and an
unnatural increase in woody vegetation. These impacts were
likely compounded by the decades-long absence of a large
tortoise population. Additional research is needed to fully
understand these trends and their effect on waved albatross
(loss of nesting areas) and giant tortoises (loss of habitat). A
better understanding of the complexity of the ecosystem will
help in developing methodologies for restoration management.
This research and resulting management protocols will be
expanded to other arid islands, including Pinta, Santa Fe, and
Pinzón. Galapagos Conservancy will support this work in
collaboration with the Galapagos National Park Directorate.
In 2011 on Pinta
Island, Elizabeth
Hunter of SUNY-ESF
locates giant tortoises
that were released
with GPS-tags one
year earlier.
© Daniel Lara
Project Pinta
(2009 and ongoing)
The restoration of Pinta Island began with the eradication
of goats during Project Isabela (see sidebar at left). With
invasive mammals removed and few introduced plants, the
island only needed giant tortoises for full restoration.
Galapagos Conservancy is a principal collaborator with
the Galapagos National Park Directorate in the return of
giant tortoises to Pinta. GC funded and worked with the US
veterinarians who carried out the sterilization of 39 hybrid
tortoises released on Pinta in 2010, and funded the two-year
follow-up study of those tortoises and their impact on the
vegetation. We continue to collaborate on the ongoing Giant
Tortoise Restoration Initiative to re-establish a reproductive
tortoise population on Pinta, using hybrid tortoises with
partial Pinta ancestry found on Isabela’s Wolf Volcano.
A helicopter prepares to drop
rat bait on Pinzón Island.
© Island Conservation
Total funding needed: $250,000
$50,000 per year for five years beginning in 2014
Reducing the Human Footprint on Inhabited
Islands
Ecosystem restoration has primarily targeted uninhabited
islands. While Project Floreana is the first island-wide
restoration project on an inhabited island, there is an urgent
need to reduce human impacts on the others. As development
continues, the inhabited islands are seeing an increase in roads
and infrastructure in the highlands. The increasing custom of
planting trees close together to form solid fences in the highland
farms may be impeding giant tortoise migrations. Studies show
that road traffic kills hundreds of birds every day, a situation
that could be avoided with research supported actions. Funding
research on inhabited islands will involve local residents,
both as observers and participants, thus providing a better
understanding of conservation and its implications beyond their
home island. Galapagos Conservancy will support research and
aid in the establishment of a citizen science program to involve
Galapagos residents in this work.
Total funding needed: $250,000
$50,000 per year for five years beginning in 2014
Project Pinzón
(2012 and ongoing)
Captive rearing of the Pinzón Island giant tortoises began
in the 1960s, with the collection of eggs and hatchlings from
natural nests, incubation of eggs, rearing hatchlings to a “ratproof” size (4-5 years), and releasing them back on the island.
Black rats, introduced to Pinzón in the late 1800s, had
essentially eaten all tortoise eggs and hatchlings for nearly
an entire century. A rat eradication campaign was carried
out in November 2012. Preliminary monitoring indicates that
tortoise hatchlings are successfully emerging from their nests
and the Galapagos dove population has increased in size.
As the island recovers from its century-long rat
infestation, we expect to see the recovery of many other
native plant and animal populations.
SPECIES
SPOTLIGHT
How do we know if a
species is endangered?
W
orking in conservation, we often hear the terms
threatened or endangered. What do these terms mean
and who determines their use?
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature
(IUCN) established the Red List of Threatened Species, with
the status of each species reviewed periodically by scientists
from around the world. Criteria are based on population
estimates and trends, geographic range, and the probability
of extinction.
The categories used to describe
the status of a species are:
EXTINCT
no reasonable doubt that the last individual has died
EXTINCT IN THE WILD
known only to survive in cultivation,
in captivity, or as a naturalized
population (or populations) well
outside its historical range
CRITICALLY ENDANGERED
considered to be facing an extremely
high risk of extinction in the wild
ENDANGERED
considered to be facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild
VULNERABLE
considered to be facing a high risk
of extinction in the wild
NEAR THREATENED
likely to qualify for a threatened category in the near future
LEAST CONCERN
species is widespread and abundant
Galapagos Conservancy helps to provide the tools to recover
entire habitats for many of the endangered species of Galapagos,
enhancing their chance of survival. Here are some of the unique
Galapagos animals and plants that you will help through support
of our Ecosystem Restoration Initiative.
Mangrove Finch – critically endangered
Medium Tree Finch – critically endangered
Giant Tortoise – vulnerable
With an estimated population
of just 60-80 individuals, the
mangrove finch is one of the rarest
birds in the world. Causes for
its demise are still under study
but likely include predation by
black rats and loss of nestlings
due to an introduced parasitic
bot fly, Philornis downsi. Other
potential risks include introduced
pathogens, climate change, and
unpredictable events such as future land uplifts caused by
earthquakes in their territories.
Unique to Floreana, the medium
tree finch population is estimated
at 1,500 mature individuals, and
the population is decreasing.
The most significant threat is
a parasitic bot fly, Philornis
downsi, which kills nestlings. The
restoration of Floreana, combined
with research and management
of the invasive bot fly, will help to
ensure this species’ survival.
A recent assessment of the giant
tortoises of Galapagos will result
in major changes to its redlisting by the IUCN. Now with
each population considered to
be a separate species, the threat
category will be determined
population by population.
Rebuilding the tortoise
populations after the devastating
exploitation by humans in
centuries past is closely tied to the restoration of tortoise habitat.
As the top herbivore in Galapagos, tortoises play a role in
establishing a natural balance and ensuring that the ecosystem
will better support other native and endemic species.
Floreana Mockingbird – critically endangered
Another extremely rare bird,
the Floreana mockingbird has
been extinct on Floreana for
nearly 150 years, with small
remnant populations surviving
on two satellite islands. Project
Floreana will set the stage for the
reintroduction of this species to
the main island. Feral goats are
gone and vegetation is starting
to recover. The elimination of
feral cats and introduced rodents, unnatural predators of the
mockingbird, is planned for 2015.
Vermilion Flycatcher – least concern
Although currently listed as of
least concern as an IUCN Red
List species, vermilion flycatcher
populations are disappearing from
inhabited islands. Already thought
to be extinct on Floreana and San
Cristóbal, a few remain on Santa
Cruz. Threats include changes in
land use, predation by introduced
mammals and birds, use of
chemicals for fumigation, and of
most concern, the introduced parasitic bot fly, Philornis downsi,
which kills nestlings.
Galapagos Rail – vulnerable
This shy bird inhabits grassy
areas and forests in the highlands
of several islands where it
is vulnerable to introduced
predators, including rats and cats.
Habitat destruction by grazing
accounts for its rarity on San
Cristóbal and Floreana, while
the invasion of the highlands of
Santa Cruz by the quinine plant
has resulted in the loss of fern and
sedge vegetation favored by the rails. Evidence of population
increases in highland areas where goats have been eliminated
indicates the population could have a major comeback as a
result of ecosystem restoration.
Galapagos Petrel – critically endangered
The only seabird to nest in the
highlands of the larger islands, the
petrel is threatened as a result of
introduced cats and rats, which
prey on the eggs, hatchlings, and
some adults. Habitat restoration
and the elimination of the
introduced mammals will help to
ensure their survival.
Photo credits for photos above (left to right, top line first): Birgit Fessl,
Luis Ortiz-Catedral, Erica Clark, Luis Ortiz-Catedral, CDRS Archive,
Patricia Jaramillo, Judy Molinaro, Richard Podolsky, Patricia Jaramillo
Miconia – endangered
The only Galapagos species of
Miconia, a beautiful shrub that
can grow to two meters high, is
endemic to Santa Cruz and San
Cristóbal and forms an important
shrub zone in the highlands.
Crowding out by the invasive
quinine tree is the primary threat.
Continuing the restoration of the
affected areas is needed to ensure
the survival of this species and the
vegetation zone named for it.
Other Endangered Plants
Several species of endemic and
native plants that were endangered
— or were considered extinct in
a few cases — have reappeared
in restoration areas, especially
where more aggressive introduced
species have been controlled. The
last known population of Scalesia
affinis (pictured right) on Santa
Cruz is recovering. Scalesias are
the “Darwin’s finches of the plant
world” and this population was on the brink of extinction due
to the expanding urban footprint and illegal rock extraction.
THE ECOSYSTEM
RESTORATION TEAM
Galapagos Conservancy
collaborates with the Government of
Ecuador, the Galapagos National
Park Directorate, the Charles
Darwin Foundation, other nongovernmental organizations, and an
international network of scientists,
other professionals, and Galapagos
residents to ensure the success of large
conservation and restoration projects.
Dr. Linda Cayot is
Galapagos Conservancy’s
Science Advisor and will
play a prominent role in
GC’s Ecosystem Restoration
Initiative through her
collaboration with our
partners to ensure that our
investments have a positive
long-term impact on Galapagos conservation.
She brings decades of hands-on experience
in Galapagos, beginning with her study of
giant tortoises for her PhD in 1981. Among
her many accomplishments, she served as
herpetologist of the Charles Darwin Research
Station for 10 years, was the first coordinator
of Project Isabela, and continues to play a
major role in Project Pinta (see pages 4-5).
The Charles Darwin
Foundation (CDF) provides
knowledge and assistance to
the Government of Ecuador
through scientific research
and complementary action
to ensure the conservation
of the environment and
biodiversity in the Galapagos Islands. Within
this context, CDF aims to be the world’s
leading research institution dedicated to
the conservation of the biological diversity
and natural resources of Galapagos, and
is committed to building a sustainable and
collaborative society to achieve this objective.
See the sidebar on page 3 for the collaborating
CDF scientists that are funded by Galapagos
Conservancy.
The natural activities of giant tortoises are crucial for maintaining healthy ecosystems in Galapagos.
Brought to Pinta Island in 2010 to act as “habitat engineers,” these two satellite-tagged hybrid
tortoises have just taken their first steps on Pinta as part of the ongoing efforts to restore that island.
© GC archive
GALAPAGOS
CONSERVANCY
is a leader in the global
collaborative effort to
balance both conservation
and a thriving community
in one of the world’s most remarkable ecosystems. We value
innovative science and conservation management that seek to
protect the unique flora and fauna of Galapagos, while striving to
add knowledge to the world’s understanding of this complex world
of strange and wonderful creatures. We envision a healthy and
engaged society within Galapagos that actively cares for and respects
the natural world in which they live.
Preserve. Protect. Restore.
Questions or comments?
Contact Richard Knab at [email protected] or 703-383-0077.
GALAPAGOS CONSERVANCY
11150 Fairfax Boulevard, Suite 408 w Fairfax, VA 22030 USA
[email protected] w www.galapagos.org