Galapagos, located on the Equator at the juncture of the East & West trade winds, the Humboldt and South Equatorial currents, and the tectonic fissure of the Nazca and Cocos plates, is a forge of new life forms. At 600 miles from Ecuador, it is isolated enough that the evolutionary vectors in simple ecosystems and the few animal populations are visible right before your eyes. The stunning oceanic vistas, volcanic peaks and lava shores with low-growth tropical forest, empty of human habitation, is an immersion in the natural world that is rare today. Peace and connectedness, life and death, rhythms of storm, rain and sun, remind me of the vital essence being lost to human development. View a panorama here. Fortunately, it is now a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site.
It was encouraging to learn that these established ecological reserves are able to trump industrial development vectors once they are established, such as the Gulf of California at Baja, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is the focus of port and rail proposals to accommodate shipping needs for products produced and consumed between China, US and Latin America. The Nature Conservancy is also establishing projects in Baja's Sea of Cortez.
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