:: What do we do?
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.

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. 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.

:: A little background
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.

Some 35 years ago, a simple initiative was developed on New Island to try and re-balance the damage that man had done to it. The removal of sheep and cattle, the closure of egg collecting, prohibiting the shooting of wildlife and improved general husbandry were relatively simple to achieve; the politics behind trying to justify such actions and holding on to this initiative were less so.

These conservation ideals were continued by Ian Strange, but were confined to the Southern half of the island between 1986 and 2006, during which time the island was divided into two separate properties - North and South. Over these 20 years, New Island South was further developed into a sanctuary for wildlife and a base for environmental research. The Southern property was eventually placed under a private Trust, thus ensuring its protection for the future. In 2006, New Island North was also secured under the Trust and now the whole island is managed under the original conservation principles.

:: Island life
Commencing in late September and continuing through until late March each year, New Island becomes an important base for the study of wildlife and the natural environment, as well as a destination for a small number of cruise ship visitors who call at New Island on Antarctic & Falkland voyages.
The island is managed on the ground by Falkland Islander Georgina Strange, and each summer she is joined by a small team of international researchers who may stay for anywhere between 4 weeks and 4 months. As well as the field work that is carried out daily by our scientists, day to day activities on the island range from maintaining and improving the reserve's facilities, meeting and talking with visitors and film crews, monitoring seabird populations and managing supplies (from food to building materials!) to taking down old fence lines and improving habitats for our wildlife.

:: What is the aim?
Many of the research and conservation projects carried out on New Island are important not just within the context of the Falkland Islands, but also within a global context. Data gathered from these studies, coupled with the habitat protection that the reserve provides, it is hoped that progress can be made towards a better understanding and further conservation of the many species that breed here.

Small-scale, eco-tourism has been conducted on New Island since the 1970's. Maintaining low-impact tourism remains paramount; only the smaller cruise vessels are permitted to visit the island to ensure as little disturbance to the wildlife as possible, and to ensure that everybody has an enjoyable visit and an opportunity to experience nature at its best. Day visits from the Mount Pleasant military complex are also a key part of our aim to educate as widely as possible about the importance of this precious natural environment and the need to preserve our Islands' wildlife for the future.