Tristan : RSPB Announces the South Atlantic Regional Invasive Species Project
Submitted by Tristan Times (Juanita Brock) 25.10.2006 (Article Archived on 08.11.2006)
RSPB will be managing EU funds ear-marked for use in eradicating invasive species from the South Atlantic UK Overseas Territories.
RSPB Announces the South Atlantic Regional Invasive Species Project
By J. Brock (FINN)
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) have announced that the St Helena Government, in partnership with the governments of the Falkland Islands and South Georgia, has been awarded £1.3 million pounds from the European Commission to support a regional project in the South Atlantic for the protection of the rich native biological diversity of the South Atlantic by reducing the threat of introduced invasive species. RSPB will manage the project on behalf of the Territories. It involves St Helena, the Falklands, Ascension, Tristan da Cunha and South Georgia, and officially started operation on 1 October 2006.
Sarah Sanders, International Officer for the UK Overseas Territories at the RSPB, says ‘the South Atlantic Overseas Territories are astoundingly rich in biodiversity. However, the impact of introduced invasive species has been catastrophic, causing significant species extinctions and population reductions. The project will provide much needed support to the South Atlantic in addressing this enormous threat’.
It is well known in the South Atlantic UK Overseas Territories that agriculture and tourism play an important role in the economy of the Falkland Islands. And, tourism on South Georgia attracts many world-wide visitors. Tourists are attracted to the Islands to see its unique wildlife especially the endemic species such as Cobb’s wren and the Falklands steamer duck that are found nowhere else in the world. However, invasive animals such as rats and mice have caused reductions in the populations of some species – eg Cobb’s wren, which cannot survive in the presence of rats. Rars are also a problem on Tristan da Cunha, where there is an annual “Ratting Day” to help keep numbers down.
Invasive plants are also a concern: more than one third of plants growing in the Falklands have been introduced since humans first came to the Islands. Most have been beneficial for agriculture and public amenity, but some such as the Spear Thistle are invasive and alter the structure of natural vegetation. These plants are pests both for conservationists, and for farmers as they can reduce grazing quality of pastures, livestock health, and fleece quality. Gough Island, a dependency of Tristan da Cunha has an eradication programme in progress as well.
The first steps in getting the project into action in the Falklands will be: the appointment of a project officer to be based in Stanley; an assessment of the status of invasive species in the Falklands; and the development of an action plan for invasive species which will be implemented over the three year duration of the project. A second project officer is to be appointed in St Helena.
For more information on the project, please contact Clare Miller, South Atlantic Project Manager, RSPB – clare.miller@rspb.org.uk/ telephone: +44 1767 680551.
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