Search
Tag Cloud
Archive
- February 2022 (1)
- March 2021 (1)
- February 2021 (1)
- October 2020 (1)
- August 2020 (2)
- July 2020 (1)
- June 2020 (5)
- May 2020 (2)
- April 2020 (1)
- March 2020 (2)
- February 2020 (1)
- January 2020 (1)
- December 2019 (1)
- November 2019 (2)
- October 2019 (1)
- September 2019 (1)
- August 2019 (3)
- July 2019 (1)
- May 2019 (1)
- April 2019 (1)
- March 2019 (1)
- February 2019 (4)
- January 2019 (1)
- December 2018 (3)
- November 2018 (2)
- October 2018 (2)
- September 2018 (3)
- August 2018 (1)
- July 2018 (2)
- June 2018 (1)
- May 2018 (1)
- April 2018 (1)
- March 2018 (1)
- February 2018 (1)
- January 2018 (1)
- December 2017 (1)
- September 2017 (1)
- August 2017 (2)
- November 2016 (4)
- July 2016 (1)
- June 2016 (1)
- May 2016 (3)
- April 2016 (1)
- June 2015 (1)
- May 2015 (4)
- April 2015 (3)
- March 2015 (3)
- February 2015 (4)
- January 2015 (2)
- December 2014 (1)
- November 2014 (1)
- July 2014 (1)
- June 2014 (1)
- May 2014 (3)
- April 2014 (4)
- March 2014 (1)
- February 2014 (1)
- December 2013 (1)
- September 2013 (1)
- August 2013 (1)
- July 2013 (3)
- March 2013 (1)
- February 2013 (2)
- January 2013 (1)
- December 2012 (2)
- November 2012 (3)
- October 2012 (4)
- September 2012 (6)
- August 2012 (5)
- July 2012 (1)
- May 2012 (2)
- April 2012 (2)
- March 2012 (5)
- February 2012 (4)
- January 2012 (5)
- December 2011 (2)
- October 2011 (3)
- September 2011 (2)
- August 2011 (3)
- July 2011 (3)
- May 2011 (2)
- April 2011 (2)
- March 2011 (5)
- January 2011 (4)
- August 2010 (4)
- June 2010 (6)
- May 2010 (1)
- April 2010 (1)
- March 2010 (3)
- February 2010 (4)
- January 2010 (3)
- December 2009 (4)
- April 2009 (6)
- February 2009 (4)
- December 2008 (6)
- November 2008 (3)
- September 2008 (3)
- July 2008 (4)
- June 2008 (7)
- May 2008 (1)
Subscribe
IGTOA Donates $15,000 to Help Galapagos Teens Become Conservation Leaders
Date: May 19, 2016
"This course changed my way of thinking 100%. It taught me to take care of these islands, if we want them to continue existing. I learned that small actions can make a big impact on our future."
— Walter, Ecology Project International Youth Participant
The future of the Galapagos Islands ultimately lies in the hands of the people who live there. That's why IGTOA is proud once again to support the important work of Ecology Project International (EPI). Our recent grant of $15,000 will help fund conservation education opportunities for 170 high school students in the Galapagos Islands. EPI's Galapagos program, which is supported by the Galapagos National Park and the provincial Ministry of Education, provides young people with the tools they need to become conservation leaders and responsive stewards of the archipelago’s natural resources. Including this recent grant, IGTOA has donated $34,600 to EPI since 2012.
Much of the endemic biodiversity of Galapagos is under threat of extinction, yet opportunities for local youth to engage in applied conservation research and experiential education are limited. Fewer than 40% of local residents were born in the Galapagos and the majority of residents have not had the opportunity to visit the National Park and meaningfully connect with their natural environment. Furthermore, students in the Galapagos have traditionally lacked access to outdoor learning opportunities; education in Galapagos follows a traditional, classroom-based model which fails to provide access to the spectacular, natural laboratory of Galapagos.
This fundamental disconnect between many Galapagos residents and their environment could have serious repercussions for future conservation efforts in the archipelago. Simply put, people who understand and appreciate their own environment are far more likely to care enough to want to protect it. That's why IGTOA believes that education is the single most important strategy for protecting and preserving the Galapagos Islands. The experiential learning opportunities that EPI provides build capacity for critical thinking, a personal conservation ethic, and a deep awareness of critical environmental issues. Their programs have demonstrated effectiveness in building environmental literacy and encouraging participants to get involved in conservation.
During each four-day EPI course, teens learn placed-based ecology and biology, collect data on a keystone species, and help restore native habitat. In the process, participants begin to understand their role in the conservation issues facing the archipelago and become inspired to become active participants in the conservation of the islands. Since 2003, more than 1,700 local residents have participated in EPI’s program.
Thank you to IGTOA members and their guests for their generous support that made this grant possible.
Comments