In the Footsteps of Darwin: Geoheritage, Geotourism and Geoconservation in the Galapagos Islands

Award Citation:

Modern-day tourism is problematic – on one hand, tourism is an important contributor of income to cities and countries, and opens our eyes to new cultures, to history, and to the natural world. However, if not managed, tourism can be a burden to cities and cause irreparable damage to the environment. Overcrowding in Barcelona and Venice has pushed these cities almost to the breaking point, and damage to beaches such in Thailand are prime examples. In the case of Thailand, officials had to close Maya beach to try to stem the damage.

In the Footsteps of Darwin: Geoheritage, Geotourism and Geoconservation in the Galapagos Islands, is a contribution to Springer’s Geoheritage, Geoparks and Geotourism Conservation and Management Series which has been developed in conjunction with agencies such as UNESCO. Given the benefits, but also the very real difficulties of developing geotourism in a fragile ecosystem such as the Galapagos, this book is very timely.

Of course, the Galapagos are well known because of Charles Darwin’s visit, which changed natural history forever. His first impressions weren’t favourable – “Nothing could be less inviting – A broken field of black basaltic lava- everywhere covered by stunted, sun-burnt brushwood”. However, Darwin later says that “the natural history of these islands is eminently curious, and well deserves attention”, setting the stage for this book’s discussion of the history, and future, of these islands in our age of tourism.

The book comprises interlinked and very well-illustrated chapters, beginning with a discussion of the complicated geological history of the islands. The authors make the very important point that it is the geology and geodiversity of the Galapagos that shapes the ecology of the animals and plants that live there. The focus is often on these biotas, but the geology of the Galapagos, most notably the volcanos and associated features, has incredible potential to be important for tourism and for Geotourism. And, these ‘Geoheritage features’ are more robust and stable, and more amenable to visits by tourists, compared to the often fragile and endangered wildlife and plants.

Other chapters describe these amazing biotas, and provide a very interesting description of the evolution of National Parks themselves, first as a focus for collecting specimens in their early history, and then later with a shifting focus to conservation. The history of the Galapagos as a UNESCO World Heritage site is also discussed, with a frank discussion of some of the tensions and difficulties that have arisen. However, the focus is to the future, with a final chapter listing the Geosites available for tourism, including ones outside the Galapagos National Park.

This very accessible and compelling book on the Galapagos islands combines geology, ecology, history, conservation, culture, but with a firm focus on the importance and potential of geology and geological features- the Geoheritage of the Galapagos – to contribute to tourism as a positive driver for the Galapagos, and as the judges of the Marsh Award thought, setting an example for other parts of the world as well.