Itinerary

Projects and activities:

The station has very important projects to help the local communities surrounding us:

One project is the Amazon Plants Conservation Center (CCPA), which is a center for experimental silviculture, botanical garden and agroforestry extension programs.

Another project is the Organic Farm (GO), a demonstration and educational farm for the communities, seeking to produce alternative food sources as well as incomes.

The handcrafts extension program includes weaving with traditional and new natural fibers and Tagua nut carving.

Natural History courses have been carried out at the station since 1985. Moreover, the Jatun Sacha Biological Station is constructing rural schools with internet connection to make information available to students that generally are not provided with libraries.

Communitarian telecenters have been set up for direct access to information and communication technologies.

Activities to support management of the Gran Sumaco National Park

Development of fish farms, native fauna production, and fruits and vegetables horticulture.

2 Week Galapagos Volunteer Project

The Galapagos Islands sit in the Pacific Ocean about 1000 km west of Ecuador. Because the islands were never connected to the mainland, many species of plants and animals are unique to the Galapagos. In 1835, the young naturalist Charles Darwin, arrived on the islands. His collections from the Galapagos became central to his theory of how species evolve.

San Cristobal is charming as the Capital of the Galapagos, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, located on it. This island is one of the 5 inhabited islands of the Galapagos archipelago that for decades has been dedicated to agriculture, mainly producing sugar cane and coffee. About 5,400 people live here, and many work for the government or in fisheries.

The highland forests of the populated Islands in the Galapagos chain have been greatly altered due to the introduction of exotic and invasive species of animals and plants. Highland conservation, development and poverty issues have been almost completely neglected by conservation, development and government agencies. As a result of the lack of fruit and vegetable production on the Galapagos Islands, boats from the Ecuadorian mainland unload fruits and vegetables to hotels, restaurants, and markets on a daily basis. Quarantine regulations are consistently ignored and at least two exotic and/or invasive plant or faunal species enter the islands each day. This is the reason why one of the main current problems on the Galapagos islands is the introduction of non-native species (plants and insects), estimated at one or two new species introduced to the islands every day, mainly through the importation of food to the islands from mainland Ecuador.

Importantly, the local population, lacking most government services and suffering high unemployment levels, is almost completely excluded from working in and benefiting from the tourism industry: tour operators do nearly all their business from their boats, ignoring business possibilities with local Galapagueños.

The biological station and reserve sites is located in the highlands of the island, on a 200 hectares site, where there is still native vegetation. The native vegetation consists of Miconias, ferns and other native herbacious species. The reserve is mainly an organic agricultural and habitat restoration project.

There are two main climatic seasons on Galapagos, the hot season from December to May which sees increased sea temperatures and occasional heavy rain fall, worst around January to February, off peak season and the cooler season June to November with more cloud form and misty patches leading to lighter rains, After June however trade winds can be significant affecting ocean temperatures which can dip to as low as 15ºC although with exception to the 2 months pre-mentioned, the islands are favourable to visit for most of the year due to their latitudinal advantage.

Objectives

The Jatun Sacha Foundation has worked to develop reforestation, habitat reconstruction, and agroforestry activities utilizing native species for the last 18 years throughout Ecuador. Consistent with past work, one of the objectives of this station is to develop the technology to reconstruct native habitat in the highlands on San Cristobal, and to serve as a centre for similar projects in the highlands on other populated islands in the Galapagos chain. The remaining native highland forests on the populated islands is quite limited due to farming activities in general, and the introduction of useful, but very invasive species from the mainland such as tropical cedar and Cinchona. The foundation has established a Plant Conservation Center for the production of native plant species for this work.

Regarding the habitat restoration aspect, the reserve is dedicated to eradicate invasive species of plants, especially a type of invasive raspberry, in order to plant native trees and vegetation. The reserve is currently implementing a biological corridor going from 150 m.a.s.l. to 550 m.a.s.l. to demonstrate the different native vegetation at different gradients of the island.

In addition, the foundation works collaboratively with local landowners to develop clean agricultural alternatives for the production of vegetables and fruits to sell to local universities, restaurants, and hotels.

Projects and activities:

    Reforestation for a 15 has corridor with native species of San Cristóbal (Jatun Sacha, Selligmann Foundation).
    Four hectare reforested near cabins.
    Nursery and Breeding ground implementation.
    Exotic plant species eradication.
    Environmental programs and natural resource management.
    Botanical Garden.
    Organic agriculture development for local consumption.
    Technical assistantship and collaboration with Galapagos National Park.
    Reforestation activities with the participation of local people and several NGO’s.

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