
Runner-up in the Animal Portrait category of our 2014 Galapagos Photography Competition taken by Ramesh Nadarajah.
Inaugural Event
The Galapagos Conservation Trust was officially launched on 5 April 1995 at the Royal Society. Some 250 people attended including David Attenborough and David Bellamy, the Ecuadorian Ambassador, four former directors of the Charles Darwin Research Station, several MPs and no fewer than 10 descendants of Charles Darwin himself.
Fighting Philornis
The invasive parasitic fly, Philornis downsi, is currently the single biggest threat to Galapagos land birds. We helped to fund an international workshop on control methods for Philornis which resulted in the development of a five-year management plan.
What Darwin found on the Islands must be preserved for the future generations to give them first-hand knowledge and understanding of what pristine nature can teach us. What they witness on the Islands, even today, will help them to understand the data on which Darwin was able to form his theory of evolution.
Angela Darwin
Tracking Island Giants
We are providing ongoing support for the Galapagos Tortoise Movement Ecology Programme which is investigating the migration behaviours of these iconic reptiles.

Runner-up in the Landscape category of our 2013 Galapagos Photography Competition taken by Cyril Deretz.
By BTTP Films on Vimeo.
Footage from the 2010 Galapagos Day showing part of the Q&A session between Sir David Attenborough, Andrew Marr and Felipe Cruz.

Winner of the Animal Portrait category of our 2013 Galapagos Photography Competition taken by Kevin Fraser.
Recycling
We collaborated with WWF to facilitate recycling initiatives on two of Galapagos’ inhabited islands including a waste oil recycling programme to prevent contamination of waterways.
Zappers on Boats
Controlling the spread of invasive species is a high priority in Galapagos. We funded a project pioneered by our Ambassador Godfrey Merlen to install UV insect zappers on boats to prevent the spread of insects between islands.

Winner of the Man in the Archipelago category of our 2014 Galapagos Photography Competition taken by Alex Hemingway.
The Galapagos Archipelago is best known for its terrestrial wonders, but those found beneath the waves are perhaps even more awe-inspiring. It’s one of the best dive locations on Earth and one of the most worth saving.
Steve Backshall

Winner of the Landscape category of our 2013 Galapagos Photography Competition taken by Cyril Deretz.
How were the Galapagos Islands colonised? Find out in this short animation, part of Discovering Galapagos
Shark Tagging
In 2010, a female silky shark was tagged by scientists from the Charles Darwin Foundation and tracked from Galapagos to Clipperton Island 2200km away. This is the longest recorded shark migration in the Pacific Ocean. We helped to fund the expedition that tagged her.
First Newsletter
Originally named the Galapagos Newsletter, our member publication has undergone several facelifts and a couple of name changes over the years. This was the front cover of the very first edition in the Autumn of 1995.

Runner-up in the Botanical category of our 2013 Galapagos Photography Competition taken by John Dillon.
Find out our top ten facts about the gentle giants of Galapagos in this short animation, part of Discovering Galapagos.
Tracking Ocean Giants
Following our successful Whale Shark Appeal, we supported the 2014 expedition of the Galapagos Whale Shark Project. View the results of this expedition in our Field Report Infographic.

Runner up in the Landscape category of our 2014 Galapagos Photography Competition taken by Susanna Oreskovic.
Darwin Statue
We funded an Ecuadorian sculptor to create a new statue of Charles Darwin which is now on display at the Charles Darwin Research Station.

Winner of the Botanical category of our 2013 Galapagos Photography Competition taken by Martin Whitaker.
Discovering Galapagos
In collaboration with the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG), we launched our curriculum-linked educational programme in 2014 both in the UK and in Galapagos. Using genuine case studies from the Islands, Discovering Galapagos will help to catalyse interest and stewardship among the next generation of conservation ambassadors.

Winner of the Animal Behaviour category of our 2014 Galapagos Photography Competition taken by Alex Hemingway.
Coastal Clean-up
Over the years we have supported several coastal clean-ups. In 2012, we funded a clean-up that removed 185 kilograms of debris from coastal areas of Santa Cruz.

The runner-up image in our 2014 Galapagos Photography Competition taken by Arnfinn Johansen.
Project Isabela
Introduced goats have caused significant changes to habitats on some of the Galapagos Islands. We supported the Charles Darwin Foundation and the Galapagos National Park in the world’s largest ecosystem restoration project in a protected area which led to the eventual eradication of feral goats from the islands of Pinta, Santiago and Northern Isabela.

Runner-up in the Man in the Archipelago category of our 2014 Galapagos Photography Competition taken by David Alfaro.
Saving the Galapagos Islands is a top priority. These 'enchanted' islands are of colossal importance in terms of their own natural and scientific interest. But the fight to save them has also come to be seen as a symbol of the much wider battle to save the world's biodiversity. The Galapagos Conservation Trust, with which I am proud to be associated, is already playing a crucial role and I hope it will be able to keep up the good work for as long as it is needed.
Stanley Johnson

Runner-up in the Animal Portrait category of our 2013 Galapagos Photography Competition taken by Daniel Allen.
Special Law for Galapagos
We supported the development and implementation of the Special Law for Galapagos. This provides a legal framework for certain aspects of island life including immigration control and fisheries management.
Penguins & Cormorants
Regular monitoring of the Galapagos penguin and flightless cormorant populations is critical to understanding the health of the species and allows the Galapagos National Park to make management decisions based on the most recent information. We have provided support to this project for over five years. Find out more about the Penguins & Cormorants Monitoring Study.

Winner of the Man in the Archipelago category of our 2013 Galapagos Photography Competition taken by Anne Parr.

Runner up in the Animal Behaviour category of our 2014 Galapagos Photography Competition taken by Judi Miller.
Native Gardens
We supported a project to encourage the use of native plant species by gardeners on Floreana to reduce the likelihood of introducing potentially invasive plants into the ecosystem.
2012 Galapagos Photography Competition - the winners!

Runner-up in the Animal Behaviour category of our 2013 Galapagos Photography Competition taken by Nicole Andrews.

The winning image from our 2014 Galapagos Photography Competition taken by Susanna Oreskovic.
Rat Eradication
First introduced by pirates and whalers in the 18th century, rats are one of the most serious threats to biodiversity. We have supported eradication projects which have seen the return of native species such as the Rabida gecko (Let’s hear it for tiny geckos…).

The runner-up image in our 2012 Galapagos Photography Competition taken by Rick Du Boisson.
Sustainable Tourism
In 2011, we hosted a successful sustainable tourism workshop for UK tour operators who send clients to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands.

The winning image from our 2012 Galapagos Photography Competition taken by Sebastian Cruz.
Sustainable Development
In 2014, we assisted in sending two professional engineers to work with the Charles Darwin Foundation and the Prince’s Foundation for Building Community to refurbish the Research Station’s library and advise on building best practice housing.
The Galapagos Islands are probably the most famous wildlife-watching destination in the world. And no wonder - it's almost impossible to exaggerate the sheer spectacle of the place that provided inspiration for Charles Darwin's ground-breaking theory of natural selection.
Mark Carwardine

The winning image from our 2013 Galapagos Photography Competition taken by Angela Robertson.
Learn why invasive species are the biggest threat to Galapagos in this short animation, part of Discovering Galapagos
Floreana’s Future
Floreana has a human population of around 100 people. Working with a variety of partner organisations we have supported a range of projects to ensure the sustainable future of the island. These include protecting the critically endangered Floreana mockingbird and supporting waste and water management initiatives in the local community.

The continuing conservation of Galapagos is a vital endeavour. The Islands must be protected - they are a living history, a miraculous source of knowledge and wonder that it has been a huge privilege to witness. Please help to keep this legacy of nature safe well into the future.
Emma Thompson

Winner of the Botanical category of our 2014 Galapagos Photography Competition taken by Susanna Oreskovic.