Press Release
Puerto Ayora, Galapagos – March 16, 2007
The Charles Darwin Foundation (CDF) worked closely with Galathea 3, the largest Danish scientific expedition in more than 50 years, on its visit to Galapagos.
The key event CDF coordinated was a public presentation by Danish visiting scientists during the Galapagos visit. Guest speakers from the expedition joined veteran CDF Danish visiting scientists Drs. Ole Hamann and Henning Adserson in presenting research projects to the local community. Topics included the restoration of vegetation on Santiago, Pinta and Espanola islands and the importance of microbial communities that dominate the world's ocean systems.
In his opening speech at the seminar, Sixto Naranjo of the Galapagos National Park Service (GNPS) highlighted the importance of this educational and academic opportunity to share knowledge with the local community. An audience of about 100 people gathered at the municipality conference room on March 6 2007.
Botanists Hamann and Adserson from the Copenhagen University were both CDF staff members in the 1970's under the UNESCO program that sought young scientists from around the world to lead and create investigation in the islands and since then have been regular visitors continuing their research on the plants of Galapagos.
Said Hamann, "What has been learned in Galapagos helps fight the invasive species battle, not just in the islands and in Denmark, but around the world."
The scientific seminar was part of a four-day program that included tours for local children of the Danish naval warship VAEDDEREN. For Galathea 3 the ship was retrofitted for use as a science vessel, complete with mini-laboratories and the latest in research technology, and so the tours offered a truly unique learning experience for local children.
CDF also helped with other aspects of the Galathea 3 visit to Galapagos. It facilitated visits by Danish expedition representatives to meet with local leaders and assisted in a public reception onboard the VAEDDEREN. Additionally, CDF and the GNPS hosted a visit by HRH Crown Prince Frederik to the organization's visitor site in Puerto Ayora. Prince Frederik is the patron of the Danish Expedition Foundation that supports Galathea 3.
The Galathea 3 expedition is a nine month voyage begun in August 2006 and is taking about 100 people literally around the world. Passengers include scientists, secondary school students, media representatives and crewmembers. The project brings the world of science into the classrooms of all primary school and upper-secondary school students in Denmark, Greenland and the Faeroe Islands through internet-based educational courses and activities transmitted from the ship.
Mused CDF visiting scientist Adserson, "I came as a young man under a program encouraging young scientists when CDF research was just beginning. The Galathea 3 project aims to ensure there are people to follow in our footsteps. Restoration is a slow process and we need good scientists in the future."
Media contact: Ivonne Guzmán – Email: cdfinfo@fcdarwin.org.ec