Capacity Building on Isabela
The growing number of tourists and population has slowly but severely impacted the Islands, mainly because of the lack of basic infrastructure facilities and of organised, institutional environmental management. The negative effects of any commercial and personal consumption have been burdened on the environment without any control.
Uncontrolled landfill on Isabela © Max Martin
These impacts have added to unsustainable energy and water consumption, contamination of air, soil, water resources and sea water and also public health problems. The resulting human footprint is not only related to the terrestrial areas of the inhabited islands but also severely affects the unique ecosystems of non-inhabited islands as well as the wildlife in Galapagos' fragile marine ecosystems.
In 2007 WWF started a successful initiative by creating the first Environmental Department on the island of Santa Cruz in close cooperation with the local Municipality to improve the environmental situation. By providing technical equipment and expertise they set up an environmental unit capable of managing one of the most efficient recycling projects in Ecuador. This measure has already influenced the Municipality's policies by introducing the first environmental standards and guidelines on Santa Cruz. The creation of the environmental department generated a strong commitment of the Municipality in favour of best environmental practices, opening the door to a sustainable future.
GCT has now teamed up with WWF to replicate the model in the Municipality of Isabela to enhance future collaboration, strengthen capacities and improve environmental management on the island of Isabela. Max Martin, an expert in this field, has been recruited to support the newly created Municipal Environmental Department of Isabela to provide technical assistance in situ.
The project's key objectives are:
Teaching students about recycling
on Isabela © Max Martin
- to increase the capacity for environmental management on the level of the Municipality of Isabela, and in particular, help them co-manage the waste management and recycling project, which is already endowed with necessary third party funds.
- to improve the Municipality's environmental performance on Isabela in order to ease the pressure on the unique terrestrial and marine ecosystems by reducing pollution and contamination, and by repairing environmental impacts.
- to encourage a change of attitudes and behaviours of the local community, backed up by environmental policy changes.
- to strengthen the ties between the Municipality of Isabela and WWF for an ongoing knowledge transfer.
- Recycling bins have been distributed to the local population.
- The recycling of plastics, glass, cartons and paper has begun as well as the production of compost from organic waste.
- An education campaign has been launched which has included house visits, television spots, recycling competitions and presentations in schools, public organisations and the tourism sector.
- World Environmental Day was celebrated with more than 100 participants learning about the recycling project, reforestation and local biodiversity.
During the next year of this project, the following will take place:
Sunset at Puerto Villamil © Max Martin
- Improvement of the waste management system efficiency.
- Education session with institution and the local population on separation practices.
- Finalise the process for the approval and obtaining of the environmental license for the construction and operation of a new sanitary landfill. The design and blueprints of the landfill were developed by WWF.
- Execute the analysis of the restructuring of the municipality.
- Strengthen the environmental department of the municipality of Isabela.
- Planning the collection and the recycling of the used oil within Puerto Villamil.
- Technical assistance to the municipality of Isabela to manage the department.
- Create a local environmental legal framework and create a municipal environmental policy.
The Galapagos Conservation Trust would like to thank Hotel Albemarle, ISS partners and all of its supporters for helping to fund this important project.