By Ilke Geladi, Jiaying Zhao, Birgit Fessl, Sandra Garcia, and Claire Kremen

Four Galapagos landbirds we asked farmers’ perceptions about during our interviews and (bottom) a farmer in Galapagos at work on their farm. Birds in pictures: Yellow Warbler (top left), Woodpecker Finch (top right), Little Vermillion Flycatcher (bottom left), and Small Ground-finch (bottom right). Photos by Ilke Geladi.

Read the full paper here

Agriculture has expanded worldwide, leading to biodiversity loss, including bird declines. However, with proper management, agricultural landscapes hold great potential for biodiversity conservation. For conservation to be sustainable, it is essential to collaborate with local communities.

The Galapagos Islands are famous for their high levels of biodiversity and conservation achievements. Yet, even here, landscape degradation and invasive species have caused declines in bird populations, especially in the agricultural area. This highlights the need for conservation actions in the agricultural zone to support bird populations.

To understand Galapagos farmers’ views on landbirds, we interviewed 53 farmers. Most farmers valued birds for cultural reasons such as their beauty, songs, role in ecotourism, and importance for future generations. Several species had unique benefits, for example, farmers admired the Woodpecker finch (Camarhynchus pallidus) for its tool-using ability. However, farmers also reported drawbacks, mainly crop damage and the spread of invasive plants. Interestingly, the most disliked species was not a species that damaged crops, but an introduced bird to the Galapagos that farmers believe harms native birds.

Since planting native trees in the agricultural area has been identified as an action that could help Galapagos landbirds, we also asked farmers about their willingness, motivations, and barriers to planting native trees on their farms. Most farmers were willing to plant native trees on their farms, although most only in small quantities. The main motivations to plant native trees was because these trees could provide shade or freshness, and the main hesitation was a lack of space on their farms.

Farmers are the people who live and care for the (agricultural) land. Conservation planners must consider their perceptions, motivations, and. By working with farmers and understanding their perceptions, as our study does, conservation efforts can be more effective, balancing both agricultural needs and biodiversity protection.