| In
1959,
the centenary year of Darwin's publication of The Origin of Species,
the Ecuadorian government declared 97.5% of the archipelago's land area
a national park, excepting areas already colonised. The Charles Darwin
Foundation was founded the same year, with its international
headquarters in Brussels. Its primary objectives are to ensure the
conservation of unique Galápagos ecosystems and promote the
scientific studies necessary to fulfill its conservation functions.
|
