Excerpt from bluedotliving.com
The archipelago’s unique, seemingly pristine environment is what attracts visitors, but their very presence threatens to harm it. One writer set out to discover how the islands are balancing conservation and tourism.
As my plane descended over the Galapagos Islands and its intense blue waters, a flight attendant sprayed the overhead baggage compartments with insecticide. When I landed, I stepped onto an astroturf carpet saturated with pesticide to kill off any foreign organisms on the soles of my shoes.
I’ve traveled all over the world, but I’d never seen anything like this. It was an introduction to the many ways the stewards of these islands protect them, and my first clue to how precious the wonders for which they do it really are.