Albatross Foundation USA
Encyclopedia
The Albatross Foundation USA (Fundación Ecológica Albatros) is a non-profit, community-based organization
, which was initiated and is led by residents of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno
in San Cristóbal Island
, the administrative capital of the Galápagos Islands
Province of the Republic of Ecuador
. The Albatross Foundation is committed to the protection of the Galapagos land and marine environments and the diversity of the islands’ ecosystems through an educational project which aims to equip the youth of the Galapagos with the enthusiasm, commitment and scientific knowledge that they will need to play a full and constructive role in the future of the Galapagos Islands.
However, the Galapagos are a world-renowned United Nations
World Heritage Site and the international scientific community values the islands greatly as a unique "living laboratory of evolution" (Charles Darwin
realized this when he came to the Galapagos Islands for the first time and observed the complexity of the life forms that inhabited the Islands he visited on 1832) and is very keen to maintain their almost pristine condition and valuable biodiversity. This does put some strain on the indigenous residents of the Galapagos (indigenous in the sense of being Ecuadorian, began being formally colonized in 1832 when it was annexed to the Republic of Ecuador, having been formerly utilized as a confinement facility for prisoners). The Galapagos have been a recognized tourism destination since the late1960's and as such have provided a better living for Ecuadorians than the mainland. Many have been attracted there by the quality of life as well as the standard of living, and a minority make a good living from tourism. The majority of the residents, as distinct from those who work there, make their living from fishing and agriculture, with some commerce and local services. The better-paid work on the islands is often taken by foreigners, as scientists, managers and in the tourism industry.
Fishing 6%
Cattle raising 5%
Agriculture 2%
Crafts 3%
Trade 4%
The founders of the Albatross Foundation were equally concerned for the wildlife
, the natural environment
and the human inhabitants, and felt that their young people had to be given a stake in the future of the islands if the resident communities were to play a constructive rather than a destructive role. The goal of the Foundation was and remains to enable the young people to receive an education that supplements that available from the State in terms of environmental, biological and scientific subjects. Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, where the Fundación has its base, is the provincial capital of the Galapagos and the second largest community on the islands, the largest being Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island which is the center of the tourism industry. It has a population of about 9000 including 3500 families (figures from 1998, Primacies de Galapagos 2000).
In 1992, Club Albatros, the Foundation's informal predecessor, was involved in a Government campaign to distribute educational materials about HIV
/Aids
and Cholera
to the local population. In 1994 the Foundation developed and presented a project named "Emergency Patrol for The Marine Reserve" to The National Park Galapagos which was delayed due to financed problems within shuch entity.
In 1994 one of the officers of the Albatross Foundation was a named ICC Coordinator for the Galapagos in the "International Coastal Cleanup" run by The Ocean Conservancy
(formally known as The Center for Marine Conservation) in Washington DC. This involved recruiting young people to gather refuse (trash) from the beaches and other coastal areas of Galapagos inhabited Islands and organizing for its safe disposal, carrying out local education on the project, and campaigning for a more conservationist attitude as a result of this work. Nowadays the Foundation carries on with this activity in the entire Archipelago every year with the collaboration of local entities and schools. The Foundation also played a helpful role during the Isabela Island Forest Fire (1994) and the Tanker Jessica Oil Spill. The foundation has been constantly donating educational materials shuch as books, computers & lab materials and more to several public schools in the islands. During the 1990s the officers of the Fundación Albatros developed a plan for an Educational Center on the island of San Cristóbal. The Center will comprise ten small classrooms, a fully equipped library, a computer laboratory, a Marine Life Museum and administration services.
Currently the foundation runs a pilot program in San Cristobal Island in partnership with the Ecuadorian Navy's educational facility called Lyceum Galapagos. The program focuses in teaching English to the local children of the islands with an ecological approach. Educational marine ecology programs are run every years in partnership with the University of Arizona
in the United States
. The foundation also recruits volunteers from all over the world to assist in the development of its programs in exchange of a first hand experience and recognition on their respective field. The volunteer basis ranges from Higschool/ College Students to Professionals in different fields. The satisfaction of making a difference while at the same time learning to appreciate the value of education for the development of environment responsible individuals is unmatched by anything else.
Organization
An organization is a social group which distributes tasks for a collective goal. The word itself is derived from the Greek word organon, itself derived from the better-known word ergon - as we know `organ` - and it means a compartment for a particular job.There are a variety of legal types of...
, which was initiated and is led by residents of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno
Puerto Baquerizo Moreno
Puerto Baquerizo Morno is the capital of the Galápagos Province, in Ecuador. It is located along the southwestern coast of San Cristóbal, the easternmost island in the archipelago....
in San Cristóbal Island
San Cristóbal Island
San Cristóbal is the easternmost island in the Galápagos archipelago, and one of the oldest geologically.Its Spanish name "San Cristóbal" comes from the patron saint of seafarers, St. Christopher...
, the administrative capital of the Galápagos Islands
Galápagos Islands
The Galápagos Islands are an archipelago of volcanic islands distributed around the equator in the Pacific Ocean, west of continental Ecuador, of which they are a part.The Galápagos Islands and its surrounding waters form an Ecuadorian province, a national park, and a...
Province of the Republic of Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
. The Albatross Foundation is committed to the protection of the Galapagos land and marine environments and the diversity of the islands’ ecosystems through an educational project which aims to equip the youth of the Galapagos with the enthusiasm, commitment and scientific knowledge that they will need to play a full and constructive role in the future of the Galapagos Islands.
History
The Albatross Foundation (most often presented as Fundacion Ecologica Albatros ) was founded in 1993 by a group of residents on San Cristóbal Island, Galapagos, who were concerned that the young people of the islands were not being given an education that would equip them to play a very constructive role in their future. It was officially recognized as a non-profit Foundation (Registry No.210) on June 14, 1993. Ecuador, in whose territory the Galapagos Islands are, is a small and poor country, which often faces major problems such as flooding and landslides as well as the challenges all developing countries of the South face.However, the Galapagos are a world-renowned United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
World Heritage Site and the international scientific community values the islands greatly as a unique "living laboratory of evolution" (Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...
realized this when he came to the Galapagos Islands for the first time and observed the complexity of the life forms that inhabited the Islands he visited on 1832) and is very keen to maintain their almost pristine condition and valuable biodiversity. This does put some strain on the indigenous residents of the Galapagos (indigenous in the sense of being Ecuadorian, began being formally colonized in 1832 when it was annexed to the Republic of Ecuador, having been formerly utilized as a confinement facility for prisoners). The Galapagos have been a recognized tourism destination since the late1960's and as such have provided a better living for Ecuadorians than the mainland. Many have been attracted there by the quality of life as well as the standard of living, and a minority make a good living from tourism. The majority of the residents, as distinct from those who work there, make their living from fishing and agriculture, with some commerce and local services. The better-paid work on the islands is often taken by foreigners, as scientists, managers and in the tourism industry.
Galapagos Income Sources
Tourism 80%Fishing 6%
Cattle raising 5%
Agriculture 2%
Crafts 3%
Trade 4%
The founders of the Albatross Foundation were equally concerned for the wildlife
Wildlife
Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative....
, the natural environment
Natural environment
The natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth or some region thereof. It is an environment that encompasses the interaction of all living species....
and the human inhabitants, and felt that their young people had to be given a stake in the future of the islands if the resident communities were to play a constructive rather than a destructive role. The goal of the Foundation was and remains to enable the young people to receive an education that supplements that available from the State in terms of environmental, biological and scientific subjects. Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, where the Fundación has its base, is the provincial capital of the Galapagos and the second largest community on the islands, the largest being Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island which is the center of the tourism industry. It has a population of about 9000 including 3500 families (figures from 1998, Primacies de Galapagos 2000).
Charity and projects
The Albatross Foundation was unfunded until 2000. Prior to this, the organization was formally constituted and obtained non-profit status from the Ecuadorian and US governments. Its activities were mainly concerned with raising their profile in the islands and in Ecuador and in making contacts with prospective donors, mainly in the United States. During this period they established relationships with key decision-makers in the island community, including the Asociación de Guías de Galápagos (Association of Galapagos Guides) which represents professional naturalist guides on the islands, INEFAN, the branch of government responsible for the islands, and the Galapagos National Park. They gained a certain amount of favorable media coverage in Ecuador, representing environmental issues from a concerned residents' viewpoint.In 1992, Club Albatros, the Foundation's informal predecessor, was involved in a Government campaign to distribute educational materials about HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
/Aids
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
and Cholera
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
to the local population. In 1994 the Foundation developed and presented a project named "Emergency Patrol for The Marine Reserve" to The National Park Galapagos which was delayed due to financed problems within shuch entity.
In 1994 one of the officers of the Albatross Foundation was a named ICC Coordinator for the Galapagos in the "International Coastal Cleanup" run by The Ocean Conservancy
The Ocean Conservancy
The Ocean Conservancy is a nonprofit advocacy group based in Washington, D.C., United States.-History:...
(formally known as The Center for Marine Conservation) in Washington DC. This involved recruiting young people to gather refuse (trash) from the beaches and other coastal areas of Galapagos inhabited Islands and organizing for its safe disposal, carrying out local education on the project, and campaigning for a more conservationist attitude as a result of this work. Nowadays the Foundation carries on with this activity in the entire Archipelago every year with the collaboration of local entities and schools. The Foundation also played a helpful role during the Isabela Island Forest Fire (1994) and the Tanker Jessica Oil Spill. The foundation has been constantly donating educational materials shuch as books, computers & lab materials and more to several public schools in the islands. During the 1990s the officers of the Fundación Albatros developed a plan for an Educational Center on the island of San Cristóbal. The Center will comprise ten small classrooms, a fully equipped library, a computer laboratory, a Marine Life Museum and administration services.
Currently the foundation runs a pilot program in San Cristobal Island in partnership with the Ecuadorian Navy's educational facility called Lyceum Galapagos. The program focuses in teaching English to the local children of the islands with an ecological approach. Educational marine ecology programs are run every years in partnership with the University of Arizona
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The foundation also recruits volunteers from all over the world to assist in the development of its programs in exchange of a first hand experience and recognition on their respective field. The volunteer basis ranges from Higschool/ College Students to Professionals in different fields. The satisfaction of making a difference while at the same time learning to appreciate the value of education for the development of environment responsible individuals is unmatched by anything else.