Management of urban green spaces to promote native and endemic flora in Puerto Ayora, Galápagos

Urbanization threatens the unique biodiversity of the Galápagos Islands; nevertheless, urban green spaces (UGs) may play a crucial role in the recovery of native and endemic species in urban areas. Given the fragile state of the archipelago’s flora, it is crucial to examine how UGs can support plant recovery by improving their ecological quality and accessibility. Research on this topic specific to the Galápagos Islands is limited. In particular, UG planning in Puerto Ayora, the largest city in the archipelago with the highest urbanization rate, requires further investigation. This study aims to explore how UG’s in Puerto Ayora can enhance efforts to the use of native and endemic species by: (1) Examining the spatial distribution of native, endemic and introduced species. (2) Investigating the richness of native and endemic species in UGs related to habitat type and UG size. (3) Assessing the spatial distribution of UGs to determine their effectiveness in facilitating nature interactions and increasing resident support for native and endemic species conservation. The main findings of this study indicate that the ecological quality and accessibility of UGs in Puerto Ayora are limited, and that their current designs may not effectively reintroduce native and endemic species to the landscape. Given the influence of habitat type and UG size on native and endemic species richness, it is of great importance to include these factors in urban expansion projects. In densely built areas where UG expansion is not feasible, the focus should be on converting UGs into green space types that feature a high richness of native and endemic species, such as ecological gardens.