Transcript Galapagos Islands: A Protected Territory

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It is a natural heritage that is protected by the
government.
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A natural heritage is a natural environment
(i.e. mountain, lake, etc.) of great value that
people want to protect and preserve.
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A “natural environment” managed by
the government of a province or
country.
It is regulated (controlled or
managed) by laws to preserve and
protect it.
People are allowed to visit it.

Things that are supplied by nature and
that are useful to us in various ways.

Coal, oil, water, forests and trees are
natural resources.
 The care and protection of forests, water,
and other natural resources.
 The diversity of species (animals, plants and
micro-organisms) found in a natural environment.

All the animals, plants, and bacteria that make up a
particular community living in a certain environment.

The parts of an ecosystem depend on one another to
live.
 A facility is a space (building) or equipment
necessary for doing something.
 These facilities need to be built so that people
can visit these parks:
a) Amenities - info centre, restroom, camping site
b) Infrastructure (roads, bridges, etc.)
Regulations are
rules.
 Visitors must follow
the established
rules of the national
park.
 These rules are put
in place to preserve
a natural site.

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A section of an area or territory
established for a specific purpose.

Zones are created to protect national
parks.

Zoning divides the park into several
areas.

Each zone has different rules and
offers different activities. (Ex: no
fishing, hunting or hiking)
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It attracts people who love doing outdoor
activities.
It also supports ecotourism
 The national park provides jobs for locals (ex:
organizers for outdoor activities, info center
receptionists, ski patrollers, etc.)
1.
It makes generates money from entry fees
2.
It provides job opportunities for locals (people are
hired to work at the national park)
3.
Services for locals close to the national park are
established (ex: grocery stores, pharmacies,
restaurants, clinics, gas stations, etc.)
4.
Supports cultural activities in the area (ex: sugar
shacks)
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Natural parks are at a risk for all kinds of threats.
Some threats can occur naturally (i.e. wild fire) while
other types of threats can be linked to human
activity.
1.
Removing natural resources from the territory (ex:
timber, minerals)
2.
Pollution from chemicals (ex: pesticides & fertilizers)
3.
Poaching (illegal hunting or fishing)
4.
Visitors litter, vandalize & destroy property.
5.
Introducing foreign species that compete with
endemic species for food.
6.
Deforestation to clear land for farms, resorts and
expanding neighborhoods.
7.
Building roads and industries close to natural parks
that threaten habitats.
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It is located in the Canadian Rocky
Mountains.
It is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
It has protected ecosystems and wildlife.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9x0GSWKygw
Banff National Park Accomodations
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UNESCO (United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization).

To make it on the list, a park must be
considered a world heritage- natural
and cultural treasures belonging to
the world.
Dinosaur Provincial Park - World Heritage

A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place (such
as a forest, mountain, lake, island, desert,
monument, building, complex, or city) that is listed
by the UNESCO as of worthy of attention because
it is special in some way.
Cloud-covered Machu Picchu is another
of the treasures counted amongst
UNESCO's World Heritage inscribed
sites
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Go to Dinosaur Provincial Park
(Canada)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lw
w6Y4hlQR4
Go to Palace of Versailles (Cultural
Site in France)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X
xIzMr2Ekpo
1.
It may symbolize a province or country.
2. It may have extraordinary landscapes
(Iguazu National park, Argentina-Brazil).
BBC Natural World - The Falls of Iguacu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_hmnOK5DYk
3. It may have rich and rare ecosystems.
4. It may provide recreational and educational areas for
visitors.
5. It may have beautiful, inspirational sites.
6. It may have traces of ancient civilizations.
7. It may contain fossils or evidence of a natural
phenomena (volcanic eruption).
8. It may provide plants that are needed for medicine.
9. It may provide economic benefits, such as tourist
activities and jobs.
10. It may be a symbol of our identity.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6EZN4szlqM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAZ0D8Srl1A
https://maps.google.ca/maps?output=classi
c&dg=brw
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South American
aborginals probably the
first people to set foot
on Galapagos Islands.
Tomas de Berlanga, the
Bishop of Panama wrote
first report on the
Galapagos islands in
1535.
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Used islands in the 1680s as a refuge/base.
Attacked European ships carrying gold stolen
from the Incas.
They ate iguanas and tortoises.
Ships brought over black rats to the islands.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rR4ElV
2Jz7A
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Fur seals came very close to extinction.
Tortoises were killed for their meat or to make
cooking oil.
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Darwin (1809 – 1882)
realized and presented
evidence that all species
of life have evolved
over time from common
ancestors, through the
process he called natural
selection.
Human population increase in the
archipelago
959
1972
Approximately
1000-2000
3488
1980s
15 000
2006 Approx. 25 000
2015
Over 30 000
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Most of the present-day inhabitants moved to the
islands from the Ecuadorian mainland during the
last 25-30 years.

Most of them work in the fishing, tourist and
farming industries.
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A group of many islands in a large body
of water.
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Located 600 km off the west coast of Ecuador,
South America.
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Consists of 13 large islands, 6 smaller islands,
107 rocks and islets.
First island formed between 5-10 million years
ago.
Isabela and Fernandina are the youngest
Islands that are still being formed.
Volcanic eruptions still occur!
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Islands are aligned with the equator.
Islands are a long distance from Ecuador.
Closest land mass is the continent of South
America.
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The climate is unique.
The ocean currents around the islands affect the
climate.
Larger islands have trees, while others are barren.
Two main seasons: a cool dry season and a warm
wet season.
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These islands are home to many endemic animals &
plants, etc. (plant or animal that is only found there).

Ecuadorian Government passed conservation laws
to protect these species (ex. $100 visitors fee).
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GI is both a National Park and a World Heritage
Site!
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1
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The Charles Darwin Research Station was built
(1964) on Santa Cruz island in Galapagos, and
scientists now come from all over the world to study
the plants and animals, and help to conserve them.
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The ocean around the Galapagos Islands was made a
marine reserve/park in 1998 to protect the
marine life.
1.
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Illegal fishing or over-fishing
Quotas (limits) are placed on the number of fish that
can be fished each year.
2. Endemic animals (ex: turtles) are competing with
foreign animals (ex: sheep) for the same food
(plants).
3. Growing human population on the islands (over
26,000).
4. Growing number of tourists (180 000 per year).
5. Pollution and littering
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The tanker Jessica ran aground in the Galapagos
archipelago in January 2001.
Immediate damage to marine life was largely averted as the split oil was
soon dispersed, but marine iguana populations in the area fell by more
than half during the following year.
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David Pouilloux, a journalist, wrote
a report on how the condition of
the islands is deteriorating
(worsening).
Title of report, “State of Emergency
in the GI”.
Outlines the 5 reasons why the
islands are being threatened
today.
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Population has risen to over 26,000 today.
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Ecuadorians are migrating (moving) to the GI
because they are looking for jobs in tourism
and commercial fishing.

Cruise ships require fuel.

Oil tankers & cruise ships increase the risk
of oil spills.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9g3
PtEDg-mo
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Fishers over-fish swordfish, tuna, shark,
and sea cucumbers.
This occurs despite the fact that commercial
fishing (catching fish for profit) is forbidden
by law.
Foreign species
threaten endemic
species in two ways:
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a)
b)
Both are competing
for the same food.
Endemic species
become prey to
foreign species
(predators).
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More than 180,000 tourists per year
Ex: Require transportation (fuel used to power
boats & buses is harmful to the environment).
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They walk among seabird eggs and disrupt their
reproductions.
At sea, they throw plastic bags overboard
Tortoises fatally mistake these bags for jellyfish and
swallow them.
More garbage in residential areas.
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To conserve (protect) nature, should we allow
or forbid people to live in protected areas?
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Some people believe humans have a negative
impact on ecosystems.

People should simply not be allowed to live in
protected areas.

People can only destroy or deteriorate the
environment by using up all of its resources,
polluting its lakes, rivers, forests etc.
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People simply get in the way of nature
conservation.

People should be allowed to live in protected areas
and participate in its conservation efforts.

Locals are in the best position to protect the
environment because of their experience and
knowledge.