it remains to be seen how effective the Special Law will be in practice.like other developing countries, Ecuador takes pride in its heritage, but has limited financial resources to set aside for conservation when there are more pressing economic and social problems. It may also be difficult to find experienced professional workers to enforce the regulations in the face of opposition from local politicians, an inefficient bureaucracy, and the multinational corporations. It is clear that there are many interests in the conservation of the islands of which tourism is an important, but not the only, stakeholder. Nevertheless, schemes to train young islanders in conservation and catering are cause for optimism for the future of the Galápagos.