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Falklands Conservation |
Restoration Plans Go Ahead for Beaver Island Group
Plans to restore some of the Falklands’ offshore islands by providing wildlife with predator-free habitats have taken a significant leap forward. A project to eliminate rats and Patagonian grey foxes from eight islands in the Beaver Island group, West Falkland, (Important Bird Area – FK002), has received substantial support so that work can now go ahead with this worthwhile initiative.
The aim is to remove two invasive predators to enable the recovery of native bird populations including thin-billed prions, tussacbirds and Cobb’s wren (a bird only found in the Falkland Islands). Areas of boxwood, tussac grass and mountain bluegrass will also benefit. The islands include Tea, Little Coffin, Skull Bay, Channel Islands, Governor, Green, and Stick-in-the-Mud, ranging in size from 4 to 300 hectares.
The project, developed by Sally Poncet, is to be run by Beaver Island Farm. Eradication of rats will start this winter, and continue in winter 2008. Falklands Conservation is, through its Small Grants Programme, providing the rat bait. This is part of a shipment donated to the charity by the National Trust for Scotland.
4.5 tons of rat bait, donated by Falklands Conservation, being unloaded at the Beaver Island jetty.
The UK Overseas Territories Environment Programme has awarded two years’ of funding to employ and train local people for the restoration work. Further support is being provided by the Falkland Islands Government.
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Patron: HRH The Duke of York CVO ADC Member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature | BirdLife International Representative |