Biodiversity: Who are these scientists who followed in the footsteps of Charles Darwin?

"Conservation is not about what we have lost, but about protecting what we still have." This message has become the motto of the passengers of the Oosterschelde . The Dutch sailing ship completed its round-the-world voyage by docking in Rotterdam on Thursday, July 31. In total, after two years of sailing, several hundred scientists have taken turns on board.

Their route followed that of Charles Darwin, who, in 1831, at the age of 22, had embarked on the HMS Beagle alongside Captain Robert FitzRoy. This voyage, planned to last two years, ultimately extended to five and established the young naturalist's reputation.

Charles Darwin would later write a major book from this expedition, The Voyage of the Beagle , published in 1839, in which he recounted his discoveries in biology, geology and anthropology. It was also during this expedition that he laid the first foundations of his theory of evolution by natural selection , considered one of the most important ideas in the history of human thought.

In tribute to this seminal voyage, scientists followed in his footsteps and named their expedition "Darwin200." Their goal: to take more than a hundred ecologists aged 18 to 25 aboard the Oosterschelde , a 50-meter schooner, to observe the state of the planet two centuries after Darwin.

Many of these young volunteers had a strong commitment to environmental conservation even before the trip. Some had already "created nature reserves, replanted forests, rehabilitated ecosystems, and carried out conservation actions to save entire species," says Stewart McPherson, co-founder and head of the Darwin200 project.

On August 14, 2023, the ship departed the English port of Plymouth. With a 32-stopover itinerary, the sailboat visited the Americas, the Galapagos Islands, Polynesia, and even Australia.

Each researcher on board studied an animal or plant species observed by Darwin, analyzing its evolution over the past two centuries and the conservation efforts undertaken since. They also had to imagine the measures needed to ensure its survival.

Upon returning from their excursion, the scientists drew up a worrying report. In Tenerife, for example, in the Canary Islands, the forest that Darwin described has almost disappeared. "There is practically nothing left, only a few strips along the coast," warned Lotta Baten, a German-Dutch scientist, who estimates that only 4% of the forests observed two centuries ago remain.

Despite these alarming findings, the crew continues to carry a message of hope. Their expedition has benefited from the support of major conservation figures, including Sarah Darwin, the British naturalist's great-great-granddaughter. During a stopover in the Galapagos, she declared: "I think if (Charles Darwin) could come back today and see the efforts everyone is making to protect this biodiversity, he would be truly enthusiastic and impressed."