Interview with My Family and the Galapagos: Monty Halls for the Channel 4 documentary

Monty tells his story here on Radio Times …

After finishing filming this series, Channel 4 stated that this n & # It was not what they undertook to do. They thought it was going to be pretty cool, twice escape the Chateaux show. But they looked at the pictures we had filmed during those three months and said, "Wow, we actually have a powerful conservation film." And all the credit to C4 – they made a great reissue and I think that really shows in the program.

There are several sequences that the Galapagos National Park has never been shown before because tourism is so important to the islands economy. For example, the fact that there is plastic everywhere on the beaches of Galapagos. The scientists with whom we were working were in pieces and they had finally had the opportunity to say "look at it", because they had not allowed a film crew to show this side of the Galapagos.

Another big change that the islands have faced is the number of people. The first time I visited the islands, the population was about 2,000. Now, there are 30,000. With tourism, about 220,000 people visit the Galapagos each year.

From this trip, I saw things that you do not really see. Working and living with the community on conservation projects and learning about the challenges they face, in Galápagos they are working hard to turn the tide, and we meet some truly inspiring people doing fantastic things. bypbading problems like invasive species, ecotourism, illegal fishing and climate change

Times are tough everywhere for delicate ecosystems, but it is important to balance that with the fact that we even talk about it. What I hope is that when people watch the series, they want to do a little research and make a small difference. And there are many things we can do. The Galapagos Conservation Trust is the only UK-based conservation charity that is fully dedicated to funding projects there if people want to see them. And we can avoid buying single-use plastics, plastic water bottles, margarine bins … There are many ways to get rid of the disposable plastics of our lives. What I always say is that you do not want to go to your grave thinking "I did not bother". Instead, think "you know what, I did a little thing and I got stuck in it."

The biggest surprise for me in terms of my family was how big the kids were . They were completely intrepid, found themselves stuck in everything and I was really proud of girls all the time. They were like little gladiators. We mounted a volcano – you see it in the second episode – and it was a five-mile hike in 30 degree heat, but they just monster.

Molly was three years old so she was quite small, but I think it changed life for Isla . We live on the coast in South Devon, she has always been in the sea and animals, but this really put her on the way, especially things like swimming with turtles.

I think what's really moving in this program is to see the islands through the eyes of children, Isla says, "It's really bad, I do not understand how your generation let it do that. " I hope it will touch a nerve with people and should cause people to think that there are things we can do, certainly in terms of plastics.

I am optimistic about the future of the Galapagos. There is an impulse, a momentum and a willingness to try and change things that were just not there 20 years ago when I visited for the first time. At the time, it was a kind of gold rush where everyone was organizing tourist operations and trying to make money.

What has surprised and encouraged me in this journey is how the community is mobilizing to solve problems. facing the islands. I think it is the measure of the new generation that is coming and the way the young people of the islands are so engaged in what is happening and it is really good. I am therefore cautiously optimistic.

My Family and the Galapagos begin Saturday, July 28 at 8 pm on Channel 4

You can read more about the Galapagos Conservation Trust here [19659023] [ad_2]
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