Ecuadorís Ambassador Fights To Preserve Fragile Galapagos Islands by Nickolas Theros On Jan. 16, the oil tanker Jessica, laden with petroleum, ran aground just off Ecuadorís Galapagos Islands. The behemoth spilled more than 150,000 gallons of diesel fuel into the shallow waters, swamping the coastlines with crude and endangering one of the worldís most dramatic and fragile ecosystems. The spill brought together hundreds of international volunteers with the singular purpose of controlling the spill before it permanently destroyed any of the islandsí unique wildlife, two-thirds of which cannot be found anywhere else in the world. After weeks of battling the spill, the clean-up efforts were deemed a success. In Washington, the incident deeply affected Ecuadorís ambassador to the United States, Ivonne A-Baki. A frequent visitor to the islands, she described the archipelago that inspired Charles Darwinís theory of evolution as "a place where you are close to God ... where everything is with nature." A-Baki was concerned about the fragility of the islands and wondered how to prevent such disasters in the future. She was not alone in her concerns. "After the oil spill, I received over 2,0 00 letters and phone calls from just about everyone," she said. "Members of [the U.S.] Congress called. They wanted to know how to help." Emboldened by the outpouring of concern, A-Baki said that she "moved forward very quickly" and established in April the Galapagos Conservancy-Ecuador Foundation, a D.C. non-profit charitable and educational organization whose purpose is to "fund and promote preservation and conservation of the environment and ecosystems of the Galapagos Islands." "I started the foundation as a way of raising awareness and educating people about our environment," she said. "We cannot wait for another disaster to strike.Ö We must focus on taking preventive action and encouraging preservation." Flocking to her support are numerous American politicians and businessmen. Her newly founded board consists of a bipartisan assortment of 10 members of Congress, oil giants Occidental Petroleum and Texaco, billionaire businessman Donald Trump, AOL Chairman Emeritus James Kimsey, and actress Bo Derek, among others. A-Baki said that the danger to the Galapagos Islands is immediate but added that the task ahead of her will take time and dedication. She frankly stated that the most difficult problem to overcome is not just pollution from heavy shipping trafficówhich she hopes will be barred from the vicinity around the islandsóbut her own countryís poverty. According to A-Baki, the growing poverty in Ecuador forces many of her countrymen living in subsistence to overfish and pollute the areas around the Galapagos. "When people are poor they must do what they can to earn a living," she said. "Unless we can educate people and offer them alternative ways [to earn a living], they cannot be expected to stop." To that end, A-Baki hopes to use some of the funds raised by the foundation for scholarships to Ecuadorians to study environmental sciences and alternative agricultural development. "Ecuador is blessed by its geographic and biological diversity. It is a fertile land Ö we can live in balance with nature," she said. The ambassador also hopes that raising awareness of the Galapagos could be a vehicle to unite her country, which has been historically bereft with political instability and regional and ethnic discord. "I dream of the Galapagos as the island of peace," she said. "In Ecuador, we have many different people Ö but we donít always communicate. I hope [the Galapagos] can help bring together the many faces of Ecuador." The foundation recently held its first board meeting and its inaugural gala dinner at the ambassadorís residence. In addition to the members of the board and other well-known guests in attendance at the dinner was Ecuadorís first lady Maria Isabela Noboa, who A-Baki says is a real supporter of the cause. In the months to come, the foundation will be working with other non-governmental organizations to develop its fund-raising and scholarship programs. Although tight lipped about the subject, she also hopes that the foundation will help introduce congressional legislation concerning the Galapagos sometime soon. Asked how she is finding time for this project in addition to her regular duties as ambassador, A-Baki responded, "You always have to find time. The only important thing is this moment, and you must take every opportunity." For A-Baki, time is not as important as building cooperation. "How can you make a difference if you donít get people who care involved? That is the only way to make things better." Nickolas Theros is the assistant editor for The Washington Diplomat.