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Special Report |
LAST UPDATE January 1, 2008
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| site design imagesparkle.com |
| December 9, 2007 |
Reviving the Galapagos Forest Project |
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| Mr Fujiwara gets stuck into reviving the forest by planting seedlings |
When Peace Boat called into Ecuador, a group of 90 participants undertook a tree-planting expedition to the Galapagos Islands, a unique archipelago off the coast of Ecuador. The Reviving the Galapagos Forest Project is a joint project between Peace Boat, the Charles Darwin Foundation of the Galapagos Islands and the Japan Association for Galapagos (JAGA). Participants spent several days on the Galapagos and were led by environmentalist, acclaimed photojournalist and JAGA executive committee member Fujiwara Koichi. For the past 16 years, Mr Fujiwara has made frequent trips to the isolated islands which became the world’s first World Heritage Site in 1978. Since then, the Galapagos have been affected by global warming and relentless tourism, with cruises booked up to three years in advance. According to Mr Fujiwara, ‘The Galapagos are treated as a giant safari park.’ |
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| A chubby endemic Galapagos Land Iguana basks in the sun – a common sight in the Galapagos |
The Galapagos Islands have a long history, and since they were formed over three million years ago from volcanic activity, plants have gradually found their way to the isolated island, which lies over 1000 kilometers from any mainland, via the sea, wind and animals. Due to the way in which the plants live in isolation, they have evolved differently to those on the mainland and as a consequence, the islands are rich in endemic species. |
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| One of 200 plants planted by Peace Boat participants |
Before planting got underway, participants met with researchers from the Charles Darwin Research Center to discuss the ways in which indigenous flora are under threat. Although there are some 500 plant species in the Galapagos, only 180 are indigenous to the islands, and have been overtaken by introduced species which have been brought to the islands by humans and animals for survival purposes, including for food, medicine and building materials. It is these plants that pose the greatest threat to these bio-diverse Galapagos. Although not all introduced species are a threat, plants such as guava, passion fruit and cascarilla are invasive and need to be controlled by using pesticides and being physically removed. |
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| Participants worked with local naturalist guides to complete their planting mission |
The Reviving the Galapagos Forest Project was first carried out in May of this year by participants on the Peace Boat 56th Voyage. The seedlings that were planted then have grown up to three meters high. This time, participants planted 200 plants which included native species such as Scalesia, Cafetillo, and Espuela de gallo. Before heading to the Galapagos, participants held fundraising events onboard to collect money to purchase the plants they would be planting. The planting mission was documented by a film crew from Japanese TV station Asahi who are making a special documentary series about global warming which will feature footage from the Galapagos. |
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A Galapagos Giant Tortoise enjoys the fruits of labor from participants on the 56th Voyage. In only six months, the plants grew to three meters |
Tanabe Ai, a communication coordinator (CC), or interpreter from Peace Boat, who helped lead the expedition to the Galapagos said that ‘Planting trees next to the giant tortoises was awesome because I left something that will become a part of the island. I felt like I made a small difference and took a tiny step to protect nature. I like the idea that we can monitor what we planted through JAGA’s website, and although it was only for a few days, I feel like I have a strong connection to the land.’ The Galapagos Forest Revival Project is just one way in which Peace Boat is honoring its commitment to promote respect for the environment.
For further information – www.j-galapagos.org (Japanese only) |
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