Protected Territory: From what? From Whom?

What is a protected territory? It is an area managed by the government to ensure that the forests, the wildlife, the marine life, the ecosystems, the landscapes and the seascapes are protectedIt is an area managed by the government to ensure that the forests, the wildlife, the marine life, the ecosystems, the landscapes and the seascapes are protected

What is a national park?  It is land that is protected because it is a natural heritage.  Natural heritage sites have little to no development*. *Urban or commercial development is limited/lots of restrictions (i.e. no Wal-Marts!)  Sites are being preserved for future generations.

 Ecosystems* are protected and constantly monitored by national agencies. *Ecosystem:  It is a community of animals, plants, insects, and micro-organisms that depend on each other for survival.

 The World Conservation Union (IUCN) is an international organization that evaluates sites and recommends that a territory be protected.  Applications are made/approved by IUCN.

What happens when an area is declared a natural park by IUCN? A) Land is developed by adding hiking trails, camp sites etc. B) Regulations (rules) for each park are written.  Hunting, fishing and picking plants may be prohibited in some parks.

Jasper national Park  Located in the Canadian Rocky Mountains.  This park is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Has protected ecosystems/wildlife.

UNESCO* World Heritage List  UNESCO stands for: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

 The Galapagos Islands is on the UNESCO World Heritage List  To make it on the list, a park must be considered a world heritage- natural and cultural treasures belonging to the world

Why are these territories protected? 1.Symbolizes a province or country 2. Extraordinary landscapes (Iguazu National park, Argentina-Brazil) 3. Rich and rare ecosystems (The Pontoons, Tlell River, Haida Gwaii, Northern BC) 4. Recreational and educational areas for visitors 5. Sites for admiring nature (inspiration)

6. Traces (evidence) of ancient human activities or societies (Mesa Verde National Park, U.S.A.). 7. Contain fossils or evidence of a natural phenomena (volcanic eruption). 8. Scientific research – plants used for medicine. 9. They provide economic benefits, such as tourist activities and jobs. 10. Symbol of our identity.

Galapagos Islands: A Protected Territory

History of Galapagos:  South American aborginals probably first to set foot on Galapagos Islands.  Tomas de Berlanga, the Bishop of Panama wrote first report on the Galapagos islands in 1535.

Pirates:  They used islands in the 1680s as a refuge and/or a base.  They attacked European ships carrying gold stolen from the Incas.  They ate iguanas and tortoises.  Ships brought over black rats to the islands.

Whalers and Hunters ( ):  Fur seals came very close to extinction.  Tortoises were killed for their meat or to make cooking oil. C C harles Robert Darwin:  Charles Robert Darwin (12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882) was an English naturalist who realized and presented compelling evidence that all species of life have evolved over time from common ancestors, through the process he called natural selection.  Charles Robert Darwin (12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882) was an English naturalist who realized and presented compelling evidence that all species of life have evolved over time from common ancestors, through the process he called natural selection. ( From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)Englishnaturalistspeciesevolvedcommon ancestorsnatural selectionEnglishnaturalistspeciesevolvedcommon ancestorsnatural selection

Then and Now:   In 1835, only human inhabitants lived on the islands.  Islands were being used as a penal colony.  Close to 40,000 people live in the archipelago today.  Most of them work in the fishing, tourist and farming industries. Archipelago:  A group of many islands in a large body of water.

The Galapagos Islands:  Located 1000 km off the west coast of Ecuador, South America.  Its an archipelago (13 large islands, 6 smaller islands, 107 rocks and islets).  Believed that first island formed between million yrs ago.  Isabela and Fernandina are the youngest Islands that are still being formed.  Volcanic eruptions still occur!

Location/Climate:  Islands are aligned with the equator.  Islands are a long distance from Ecuador.  Closest land mass is the continent of South America. The climate is unique:  The ocean currents around the islands affect the climate.  Larger islands have trees, while others are barren areas (no trees, hardened lava).  Two (2) main seasons: a cool dry season and a warm wet season.

Conservation Laws:  Home to many endemic animals, plants, and insects.  Endemic means they are only found on those islands.  Laws were passed to protect these species by the Ecuadorian Government. (i.e. $100 visitors fee)  The Galapagos Islands is a National Park  It’s a World Heritage Site!

 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.  The ocean around the Galapagos Islands was made a Marine Reserve in 1998 to protect the marine life.

Threats to the Wildlife: 1.Illegal fishing/hunting or over-fishing/over- hunting. 2. Native animals (i.e. turtles) are competing with foreign animals (i.e. sheep) for the same food (plants). 3. Growing population on the islands (over 20,000 inhabitants). 4. Tourism (number of tourists visiting the Islands each year is growing – ).

5. Pollution and littering   The tanker Jessica ran aground in the Galapagos archipelago in January   Immediate damage to marine life was largely averted as the split oil was soon dispersed, but marine iguana populations in the vicinity fell by more than half during the following year.

Magazine Report on the Galapagos Islands:  David Pouilloux, a journalist, wrote a report on the degradation (deterioration) on the Galapagos Islands.  He entitled his report, “State of Emergency in the Galapagos Islands”.  This report outlines the five (5) reasons why the Galapagos Islands is being threatened in the 21 st century.

1. Population Growth:  The human population in the Galapagos Islands has risen to 20,000 today.  Due to immigration of Ecuadorians looking for better living conditions.  Possibility of jobs in tourism and commercial fishing.

2. Pollution:  Organised tourist cruises require fuel.  The presence of oil tankers and cruise ships have increased the risk of oil slicks.  In 2001, oil tanker Jessica ran aground on a sandbank close to san Cristobal and spilt over hundreds of thousands of litres of oil.  This polluted the waters and harmed marine life.

3. Overfishing:  Galapagos fishers over-fish swordfish, tuna, shark, and sea cucumbers.  This occurs despite the fact that commerical fishing is forbidden by law.

4. Invading species and predators:  Humans have introduced foreign species to the islands.  Native species are threatened by foreign species in two (2) ways: a)Both are competing for the same food b)Native species have become prey to foreign species (predators).  Most dangerous invaders are: goats, donkeys, pigs, dogs, cats, ants, wasps, black rats, and mice.

5. Tourism:  Approximately 70,000 tourists visit the islands per year.  They require entertainment and transport (fuel used to power boats and buses is harmful to the environment).  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.

Protected Territory: With or without residents?  To conserve nature, should we forbid people to live in protected areas?

YES, people should be forbidden to live in protected areas because…  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.  People simply get in the way of nature conservation.

NO, people should be allowed to live in protected areas because…  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.