A collaboratively derived environmental research agenda for Galapagos

Galápagos is one of the most pristine archipelagos in the world and its conservation relies upon research and sensible management. In recent decades both the interest in, and the needs of, the islands have increased, yet the funds and capacity for necessary research have remained limited. It has become, therefore, increasingly important to identify areas of priority research to assist decision-making in Galápagos conservation. This study identified 50 questions considered priorities for future research and management. The exercise involved the collaboration of policy makers, practitioners and researchers from more than 30 different organisations. Initially, 360 people were consulted to generate 781 questions. An established process of preworkshop voting and three rounds to reduce and reword the questions, followed by a two-day workshop, was used to produce the final 50 questions. The most common issues raised by this list of questions were human population growth, climate change and the impact of invasive alien species. These results have already been used by a range of organisations and politicians and are expected to provide the basis for future research on the islands so that its sustainability may be enhanced. </jats:p

Diseño de viviendas ecológicas y sustentables para la Isla Santa Cruz, Galápagos

Este trabajo de tesis propone las ideas de tres jóvenes, que, en su incursión en la arquitectura ecológica y sustentable han visto la oportunidad para mostrar sus ideas y su interés en ayudar a un lugar donde no se habla de un patrimonio arquitectónico, intentando otorgar, en este caso, a Puerto Ayora, en la isla de Santa Cruz, el diseño de tres opciones de viviendas cuyo propósito es mostrar las bondades materiales obtenidos en el archipiélago, así como, otorgar una identidad arquitectónica, llevados por la investigación minuciosa que va desde la historia de las islas, hasta los aspectos económicos y la forma de vivir de los galapagueños, siendo ésta, una sociedad pluricultural conformada por la llegada de personas de todos los rincones del Ecuador continental, influenciada por las tendencias actuales y que poco o nada ha sabido respetar y/o relacionarse con su entorno.ArquitectoCuenc