Ecuador’s President Rafael Correa has declared the renowned Galapagos Islands at risk and may impose restrictions on tourism, flights and residency to prevent further ecological damage to the area.

The president’s order on Tuesday conveniently coincided with a visit by UNESCO officials to check on the current situation in Galapagos and whether they need to upgrade it from a bog-standard World Heritage Site (which it became in 1978) to one that’s “in danger”.

There are only 31 “properties” that the World Heritage Committee has placed on its List of World Heritage in Danger. According to article 11 (4) of the World Heritage Convention, “in danger” sites are “threatened by serious and specific dangers, such as the threat of disappearance caused by accelerated deterioration, large- scale public or private projects or rapid urban or tourist development projects; destruction caused by changes in the use or ownership of the land; major alterations due to unknown causes; abandonment for any reason whatsoever; the outbreak or the threat of an armed conflict; calamities and cataclysms; serious fires, earthquakes, landslides; volcanic eruptions; changes in water level, floods and tidal waves.”

Volcanic eruptions aside, which are part of the natural rhythm of Galapagos life, the islands tick several of the other boxes. It’s only just become widespread knowledge but the Director of the Galapagos National Park Service, Rachel Molina, was hospitalized by members of the armed forces in mid-March. The rumour is that she’d been trying to clamp down on a bit of illegal tourism being conductcd on the sly by the Ecuadorian Air Force.

This just highlights the tensions that still bubble just beneath the surface in Galapagos. Previous presidents have turned a blind eye. But not, it seems, Correa. This is the first time that one of Ecuador’s presidents has looked towards the long-term future of Galapagos. Whilst the Special Law for Galapagos made a stab at slowing the population expansion, with at least 30,000 people living in these islands it’s clear that tougher controls are needed. And the scale of tourism – now servicing some 130,000 visitors a year – is not sustainable.

It will be interesting to watch what happens now. If Correa’s comments persuade UNESCO to place the islands on the “in danger” list (which we will find out about this summer), then there could be a real effort to take these serious problems seriously. OK, it’d probably mean that fewer people would come and visit me every year, but if it carves out some kind of sustainable future for the Galapagos then it’d be well worth it.