The Galapagos Islands remain under threat

Unesco was wrong to remove the Galapagos Islands from the danger list, believes Toni Darton.

The Galapagos Islands remain under threat
The Galapagos Islands contain more than 1,300 species found nowhere else on earth

At the Galapagos Conservation Trust (GCT) we are very concerned that Unesco's decision last week to remove the Galapagos from the "World Heritage Sites In Danger" list may give the impression that the natural wonders of the islands are no longer threatened. As the only British charity dedicated to saving the Galapagos, we know that the unique biodiversity is still very much at risk – and tourism has a key role to play in conserving what Sir David Attenborough has called "the most astonishing place on earth".

The Galapagos Islands' significance and biodiversity – they contain more than 1,300 species found nowhere else on earth – led to them being named one of the first World Heritage Sites in 1978. Since then human intervention has had a devastating effect. The population and economy of the islands are expanding rapidly and unsustainably. With people come demands for resources, as well as pollution and waste. These issues are by no means unique to the Galapagos – but in a natural paradise like this, balancing the needs of the human and natural worlds is more critical.

Much of this growth is directly or indirectly due to tourism. The unregulated expansion of tourism was one of the reasons behind Unesco's decision to declare Galapagos a World Heritage Site In Danger in 2007. Annual visitor numbers have increased from 12,000 in 1979 to more than 160,000 now, and the rise in both invasive species and population mirror this pattern. More than 40 Galapagos species are now "critically endangered".

Since 2007, the Ecuadorian government has addressed a number of these issues. Immigration and quarantine measures have been tightened, a £10 million "Invasive Species Fund" has been set up and governance of the islands has been strengthened. But there is still a long way to go.

Curiously, tourism is also a major contributor to conservation. For 40 years income from tourism has helped to fund conservation work and much of the £2 million the GCT has sent to the Galapagos has come from visitors. But the model for tourism needs to be carefully managed. Traditionally, people have visited managed sites aboard a small cruise ship accompanied by a trained naturalist guide. The number, size and location of these boats is strictly controlled.

More recently there has been a rapid growth in land-based tourism from both international and Ecuadorian visitors. Nightclubs and bars are mushrooming and activities such as sports fishing are starting up. This needs to be reviewed and controlled. The authorities need to be clear what model of tourism works for the Galapagos and what doesn't – the fragile ecosystem cannot cope with mass tourism or "bucket and spade" breaks. A review is under way, but it is too early for the impact to be felt.

Unmanaged tourism could destroy the Galapagos; planned tourism could save them. This is why we feel Unesco's decision is premature. The Galapagos may no longer officially be a World Heritage Site In Danger, but they are still very much at risk.

  • Toni Darton is chief executive of the GCT (020 7629 5049; www.savegalapagos.org), which will be hosting an evening of talks entitled "Galapagos: Where Next?" at 6pm on September 15 at the Royal Geographical Society.