What does “Holistic Restoration” mean?

Holistic restoration goes far beyond planting trees or releasing animals. It is an environmental method that recognizes that every component of an ecosystem—flora, fauna, soils, water, climate, species interactions, and human communities—is interconnected. 

Restoring Floreana Means:

• Eliminating threats that disrupt natural balance, such as invasive species that prey upon, compete with, or degrade native species and their habitats.
• Restoring native habitats to improve soil health, vegetation cover, water bodies, and restore ecological corridors that build climate resilience. 
• Reintroducing locally extinct species to recover essential ecological functions such as seed dispersal, pollination, natural pest control, and nutrient cycling.
• Engaging the local community, integrating traditional knowledge, sustainable practices, and livelihoods—such as responsible tourism and agriculture—so that conservation and development move forward together.
• Establishing biosecurity and monitoring systems that enable adaptive management and ensure long-term sustainability. 

Why is holistic restoration so important? 

Islands are especially fragile ecosystems. Their species evolved in isolation and are not prepared to face new threats. The arrival of invasive species can quickly trigger ecological imbalances, displace native wildlife, and even cause extinctions. 

That’s why eradicating invasive species is a crucial first step. On Floreana, efforts focus on controlling two invasive rat species and feral cats that prey on the eggs of birds, reptiles, and tortoises. Floreana is a large island, with permanent residents and diverse habitats, which requires careful coordination and an adaptive management approach. 

But controlling invasive species alone is not enough. Many native species have been absent for decades—some for over a century—leaving entire ecological functions lost or diminished. To ensure reintroductions are successful and lasting, habitats must also be restored. Invasive plants need to be managed so that native vegetation can recover, providing reintroduced species with the food, shelter, and ecological conditions they need to thrive. 

Holistic restoration is like an intricate puzzle, where every piece is interconnected and must be adjusted thoughtfully over time to achieve lasting balance. 

A vision for resilience and coexistence

The Floreana Ecological Restoration Project recognizes the interconnection between terrestrial and marine ecosystems and seeks to build a resilient, integrated, and self-sustaining environment. It is the largest and most ambitious restoration initiative ever undertaken in Galápagos and will be decisive for the archipelago’s future. 

This effort goes beyond recovering species—it seeks to restore the health and functionality of entire ecosystems. A thriving environment supports soil fertility, microclimate regulation, natural pest control, and stronger community identity. It also fosters conservation tourism, which will bolster the island’s local economy and bring new attention to the region, and helps the island prepare for the impacts of climate change. 

Floreana has the potential to become a global model for island restoration—demonstrating that with science, community commitment, and long-term vision, it is possible to reverse decades of ecological degradation.