New Island - Home

Welcome to the New Island Conservation Trust website!

Site last updated: September 2007

NEWS! July 2007: The New Island Book is published!
Funding from the Overseas Territories Environmental Programme (OTEP) has enabled us to produce a 160 page publication, packed full of information and photographs about the New Island Trust, the reserve and its scientific and conservation work, history, wildlife and management for the future. For a preview and more information, please click here

Black-browed Albatross in the Falkland Islands -
encouraging survey results
To view the Black-browed Albatross Population Census paper (Annex 5), please click here
Further related links: Mercopress Article, September 24th 2007

September 2006: New Island South & New Island North
are now under one ownership
As of September 13th 2006, the NISCT is officially the 'New Island Conservation Trust' after the purchase of New Island North from Tony & Kim Chater...Click here to read more

. Introduction to New Island .

F a l k l a n d . I s l a n d s

New Island is one of the finest and most unique wildlife reserves in the Falkland Islands. Under the protection of the New Island Conservation Trust, (formerly the New Island South Conservation Trust), a non-profit charitable conservation organisation, the future of this reserve is assured in perpetuity.

The New Island South nature reserve ~ how did it begin?

In 1972 the opportunity arose to give New Island its first measure of environmental protection in nearly 200 years. The project began when the property was purchased by Ian Strange and a partner (the property was later divided as New Island North and New Island South, with the latter being owned by Ian Strange).
Under the New Island South Conservation Trust, founded by Ian Strange in 1995, the original project has continued to develop a practical approach to conservation for the benefit of the Falkland Islands as a whole.

As a private reserve, New Island South saw the first pioneering conservation and management efforts in the Falklands’ context, and was the first land-based wildlife tourism operation in the Islands, offering visitors the opportunity to appreciate its exceptional wildlife and illustrating the potential of specialist tourism as a tool to assist wildlife conservation.

Now, after some 20 years under separate ownership and management, New Island North has been acquired by the New Island Conservation Trust. The island is now one complete nature reserve.

Photos © G. Strange . 2007

Above: Falkland Flightless Steamer Ducks, Black-browed Albatross & Gentoo Penguins all breed on New Island

New Island before nature conservation:

Much of the island’s earlier history was one of depredation: its seal and bird colonies were plundered by early exploiters, the island was a base for early whalers, and its vegetation suffered as a result of burning and grazing by sheep and cattle. New Island is now an extremely important conservation site and many of the projects on the reserve are linked to its past history, giving a unique opportunity to study man’s past influence on the environment. Today we demonstrate what changes can be brought about by protection and careful management.

New Island has an estimated 52 miles (84km) of coastline embracing some 5,600 acres.

Until August 2006, New Island was run as 2 separate properties under different management: New Island North (previously owned by Tony Chater) and New Island South.
The New Island Conservation Trust now owns both properties, effectively making the island one complete wildlife refuge.

What do we do?

On the New Island reserve, all work is geared to the conservation and study of the environment, from our scientific projects through to controlled tourism, education and management. We are the only purpose-designed site with established facilities for field studies in the Falkland Islands, and we play a leading role in the Islands’ environmental protection efforts.

The New Island Conservation Trust

We believe in a direct and practical application of nature conservation, and particular attention is given to longer term, proactive projects which will be of value to conservation not just in this part of the archipelago, but also to the rest of the Falklands.

The Trust’s objectives are to promote the study and appreciation of ecology and wildlife conservation throughout the Falkland Islands, and to assist in developing plans for the management and conservation of its exceptional natural environment for the future.