Galapagos Life Fund Announces Its First Executive Director

By Galápagos Life Foundation, Nov Thu, 2023

Galápagos, October 25, 2023 – The Galapagos Life Fund is proud to announce the appointment of Ms. Mónica Calvopiña as its first Executive Director. Her appointment marks a crucial milestone in the implementation process of this innovative conservation fund for the Galapagos Islands.

As the Executive Director, she will assume responsibility for the development, management, and implementation of long-term strategic plans, annual operating plans, project development processes, as well as the day-to-day administration of the Galapagos Life Fund.

In conjunction with the creation of the Hermandad Marine Reserve in January 2022, a commitment was made to establish a financial mechanism to ensure its implementation, and the Galapagos Life Fund will play a key role in this process. Since the announcement of the successful Debt-for-Nature Swap carried out by the Ecuadorian Government in May 2022, the establishment of the Galapagos Life Fund as a non-profit organization under Ecuadorian government regulations has been in progress and will be based on Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos Islands.

As the new Director stated: “Our mission is to protect this natural treasure of the Galapagos Islands, and we are committed to ensuring a sustainable future for our Archipelago and its community. The Galapagos Life Fund’s primary challenge is to promote the maintenance, growth, and security of the natural capital of the Galapagos Islands and its marine ecosystems by providing grants or funding for environmental projects, sustainable development related to biodiversity, social, economic, sustainability, and climate change-related issues from organizations, government agencies, and other entities.”

The Director is highly qualified to lead this organization. As a Galapagos professional, a marine biologist with postgraduate studies in Marine Conservation and Development, and with over 20 years of experience in the management, administration, and conservation of protected marine areas, her expertise has enabled her to lead multidisciplinary projects, implement conservation strategies, and build strong interpersonal relationships with key partners and the community. She has also played a pivotal role in creating Galapagos’ two protected marine areas and implementing their key management strategies, including management plans, zoning, control mechanisms, financial mechanisms, monitoring programs, research, and evaluation.

About the Hermandad Marine Reserve:

The new Hermandad Marine Reserve in the Galapagos Islands is part of Ecuador’s national system of protected natural areas. Thanks to Brotherhood, Ecuador’s protected marine surface has increased by 5.5%, expanding from 13.3 to 19.3 million hectares. This marine reserve covers an area of 60,000 square kilometers, serving as a corridor connecting the Galapagos Marine Reserve with the Costa Rican Island of Cocos.