Island Conservation’s Science Director in Newsweek
Published on
March 28, 2016
Written by
Island Conservation
The first of its kind, a global study measuring how invasive species eradication benefits biodiversity was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and recently covered by Newsweek. A team of thirty scientists, including Nick Holmes, Director of Science at Island Conservation, found that “596 populations of 236 native species on 181 islands benefited from 251 eradications.” The results are promising for the future of conservation and biodiversity.
“We have overwhelming, demonstrable evidence that this conservation intervention works to protect and restore vulnerable native island species…but [the paper] is also a call to action…. We know of thousands more islands with endangered and threatened species that are at risk of invasive species.”
Takahe. Photo: Holly Jones. Five populations of the world’s largest rail, the Takahe, benefited from mammal removal in New Zealand.
The study indicates that invasive species eradication offers major potential conservation gains at relatively low financial investment. Eradication is a successful conservation strategy because it does more than alleviate the threats posed by invasive species–it eliminates them entirely. Once an island is free of invasive species, its native wildlife can thrive.
The Island-Ocean Connection Challenge announced four new restoration projects—Lehua, Tavolara, Grand Rouveau, and Zembra—at London Climate Week, expanding its global effort to restore 40 island-ocean ecosystems by 2030!
The Juan Fernández Archipelago is part of a new Marine Protected Area that protects the highest concentration of marine species found nowhere else on Earth!
