World Wildlife Fund

Galapagos giant tortoise (Geochelone nigra). San Cristobal Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
© WWF-Canon / James FRANKHAM

Galápagos Special Law
We helped push through the special law and designate the Marine Reserve, which is 50,000 square miles and is the second largest in the world after the Great Barrier Reef. We continue to support the development and implementation of the sub-regulations for the law. In 1998 the Galápagos Marine Reserve was created with the passage of the Galápagos Special Law. The Special Law was a significant milestone in Galápagos conservation. It provided the framework for the long-term conservation of the islands.

We played a critical role in the passage of this law, which controls migration to the islands, established a quarantine system which is critical to deal with the problem of introduced species and which banned industrial fishing from the Marine Reserve.

The law also ensures that 90 percent of the revenue collected from the visitor entry fees at the Galápagos National Park stays in the islands to support local institutions. This dedicated funding provides the park with much needed stability to ensure basic enforcement and protection of the park.

In 2000, entrance fees generated $5.2 million; $2.3 million supported work of the Galápagos National Park.

Galapagos Energy Blueprint
With technical assistance from Toyota, WWF scientists and their partners created the Galapagos Energy Blueprint, a 10-year plan to transform high pollution energy systems now in use in the archipelago to sustainable renewable energy sources. One key aspect of the blueprint is to reduce the negative impact of diesel fuel on the Galapagos environment - from air pollution to leaks and spills. 

Results:  WWF and Toyota worked with PetroEcuador and the Ecuadorian Government to design and completely overhaul the fuel handling facility in the islands. Toyota provided the engineering expertise and the Government provided the funding. This facility is now a state-of-the-art fuel handling facility and is in the process of receiving ISO14001 certification.

• A successful oil recycling program is operating in Santa Cruz Island, recycling most of the oil from the fishing and tourism sectors based in this island. We are now in the process of replicating this program on San Cristobal Island.
• We have completed a two-year education outreach campaign with the local schools on the use of renewable energy sources in the islands. There is now broad understanding of the importance of moving toward a hybrid system which is in the process of being installed on several islands within the context of a UNDP project. Toyota provided funding for the completion of the hybrid (wind/solar) system on Floreana Island, the first system in the islands.
• We are now working on the design of an integrated waste management system in the Galapagos, along with an education outreach campaign communicating the importance of recycling, reducing and reusing.

Yellow Warbler (Dendroica petechia) from San Cristóbal Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador.
© WWF-Canon / James FRANKHAM

Strengthened capacity of the Galápagos National Park
With the creation of the Marine Reserve in 1998, the park determined that the greatest need was a communication system to allow for rapid communications for park guards around the islands. WWF secured a complete radio communications system, including towers, from Motorola.

We also provided over-flight support for enforcement efforts during the sea cucumber season, protected area management training, financial and technical support during the oil spill and fires on Isabella Island.

Strengthened governance structure of the Galápagos Marine Reserve
We strengthened the governance structure of the Marine Reserve by funding and facilitating the process to ensure the stakeholders are involved in decisions made about the management of the marine resources. IUCN, the World Conservation Union, points to this as a global example of how shared marine resources can be managed and has publicly recognized us for our role.

Renovation of visitor's center
In 2003, We renovated the Van Stralen Visitor's Center on the islands, which also serves as an environmental education center for the local community.

Financial support for conservation
We have supported conservation of the islands since the early 1960s. To date, We have made $4 million in direct financial investment for protected area management, research, policy, and environmental education. This figure does not include the substantial technical assistance We have provided over the 40 years in science, policy, conservation planning, and management.

Learn more about WWF's successes in the Galapagos