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English : Espagnol 11-25-03 Eradication of Introduced Plants in Cerro CrokerOne of the main problems faced by the Galapagos National Park is the presence of introduced plants. Many of these are invasive which means they compete aggressively with the native island plants causing financial loses to farm owners. In the sectors of Media Luna, Cerro Croker and el Puntudo on Santa Cruz Island, sites which are considered to be of great ecological value, park rangers are eradicating blackberry bushes, Cinchona and Guava trees. "Each plant is controlled by a specific method, for example the Cinchona is eradicated by the "pica aplica" method, by which it is uprooted and a controlled substance is applied to the affected area. So far we have cleared 10 hectares" , said Carlos Carvajal responsible for the Unit for Control of Introduced Plants of the Galapagos National Park. After applying the plant killer the Cinchona enters a death cycle. The first phase is "chlorosis" where the leaves turn red. During the second stage, "defoliation", the leaves are already dry and begin to fall off the plant. The third phase is "death" when the tree dies. The "toconeo astillamiento" method is applied to the Guayava trees, since their wood is more resistant, which requires the removal of the whole tree including the roots. 80 hectares are currently clear of Guayava trees. The whole of the red zone is covered with Miconia Robinsoniana, an endemic plant of the Galapagos Islands. The green zone is occupied by Cinchona, a plant which was introduced to Santa Cruz around 1940 for medicinal purposes. Once on the summit of Cerro Croker one can clearly appreciate how the Miconia Robinsoniana, the Helecho Aerborio and other endemic species have flourished in the areas where the park rangers have eliminated the Cinchona and Guava trees. Working conditions are difficult and the removal of invasive plants moves slowly, but with good results. Invasive plants can only be successfully controlled by the replanting of vegetation and the avifauna habitat, for example those of the Galapagos petrel, field owls, pachai and finches. By eliminating the introduced species the native and endemic species can flourish as they used to and in a stable environment. |
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