Island restoration and the vital role of connector species

Published on

March 25, 2024

Written by

Island Conservation

Penny Becker, Island Conservation’s Vice President of Conservation, wrote an article about connector species that was recently featured by our partners at Galapagos Conservation Trust. Her groundbreaking research has helped uncover the vital connections between land and sea, sparking a new era of holistic restoration from ridge to reef.

The idea that the land and sea are interconnected may come as no surprise in the Galapagos, where iguanas, turtles and sea lions cross that barrier daily, but the intimacy of the connection goes beyond species, influencing entire landscapes and seascapes.

Dr. Penny Becker, Island Conservation

Galapagos Conservation Trust is an essential partner in a massively ambitious project to restore and rewild Floreana Island, Galapagos. The project involves the reintroduction of twelve key species that have not been seen on the island in decades. To further support interdisciplinary, international collaboration, the Galapagos Conservation Trust has just joined the Island-Ocean Connection Challenge, which aims to restore 40 island ecosystems by 2030.

Flamingos on Floreana Island
Flamingos in a lagoon on Floreana island © Henri Leduc

This partnership inspires me with hope for a world where all conservation is place-based, collaborative, community-focused and interdisciplinary. Just as connector species bring land and sea together, we have a responsibility to connect with each other to help ecosystems thrive.

Dr. Penny Becker, Island Conservation

Connector species that bring nutrients back and forth between sea and land provide a valuable lesson for conservationists around the world that everything is connected, and complex ecosystems demand the same multi-faceted attention from organizations, institutions, and governments. Read Penny’s full article here!

 

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