Why go
The Charles Darwin Research Station gives a useful point of reference for understanding the islands beyond a species checklist. Its history links scientific research with practical protection, from studying introduced species to developing ways to conserve native animals. Read the landscape as a place under active care rather than an untouched wilderness.
The full story
The national park and the Charles Darwin Foundation were established in 1959, a century after the publication of On the Origin of Species. Earlier protective legislation had existed, but the late 1950s marked a more concerted effort to understand the pressures on native plants and animals. The research station opened on Santa Cruz in 1964. Its role was to produce knowledge that could inform management, while early station staff also undertook work such as protecting native species and tackling introduced animals. This connection between research and action matters when you visit: a tortoise conservation programme represents years of ecological work, not simply a chance to see a large reptile. UNESCO recognised the islands as a World Heritage Site in 1978. Protection later extended to the surrounding marine environment, acknowledging that seabirds, marine iguanas and other coastal wildlife depend on what happens offshore as well as on land.