Our Favorite Conservation Photos of 2023

Our Favorite Conservation Photos of 2023

2023 was Island Conservation’s most impactful year ever, with dozens of ecosystems benefiting from the nature-based solution of removing invasive species. From Palau to Puerto Rico, we have been busy restoring and rewilding fragile ecosystems on the front lines of climate change, using science-based and community-oriented methods to increase the scope and scale of conservation.

Our work out in the field has given us the opportunity to see some amazing people, places, and animals. We want to take a moment to reflect on the most incredible sights of this last year. Our favorite conservation photos of 2023 showcase what’s most amazing about life on our planet and what we can accomplish together. 

Our donors and partners make our work possible. Join us in celebrating our projects and achievements by perusing our top conservation photos of the year! 

Hope Sprouting on Nadikdik Atoll

Mangrove Sprout on Nadikdik

Nadikdik Atoll, a low-lying coral ecosystem in the Marshall Islands, is on the front lines of climate change. Erosion, extreme weather, and sea level rise threaten its small community of copra harvesters. Mangrove trees, with their tall, branching roots and ability to handle being submerged in salty water, are among the most important coastline preservers in areas with loose sandy soil. This mangrove sprout, shooting up in a bare patch of Nadikdik’s threatened soil, is a symbol of hope for this low-lying atoll’s recovery—and the power of ecosystems to bring new life. 

Drone Flying Over Wallis and Futuna

Wallis and Futuna

At Island Conservation, we are always investing in new technology to make the work of restoring islands cheaper, faster, and more scalable. Part of our exploration of new, cutting-edge methods includes using drones to cover islands that have challenging terrain that would be difficult and dangerous for humans to cover on foot.

On Wallis and Futuna, we conducted more than 500 drone flights over nine islands in a project that demonstrates this technology’s effectiveness. This photo beautifully captures the dense jungle that poses no problem to aerial drones, helping us reach new heights in conservation.

Late and Tofua Islands, Tonga

Tonga is a conservation leader in the Pacific. The projects we undertake with our partners there are massive in scale, signaling a sea change in Pacific conservation that stands to increase the population of fish in near-shore ecosystems by as much as 30%!

Island Conservation supported the Kingdom of Tonga in restoring Late Island, the home of one of Tonga’s largest tropical broadleaf ecosystems. In order to track the impact of our effort, we are using a similar nearby island, Tofua, as a control. Measuring the benefits of island restoration is essential work, and it will help us produce the essential science that guides our work.

But it’s no easy task. Both Late and Tofua are mountainous and present conservationists with significant challenges when monitoring species. These two pictures—one from Late Island and the other from Tofua—highlight the lengths to which our team will go to make sure we’re getting the most accurate data on species and ecosystems. Hiking up to the summit, dealing with bugs, pitching a tent, and living on such a steep grade amid such dense vegetation is worth it to our incredible field staff. Camping on the summit of a tropical volcano—does it get better than that?

Late island
Hiking up Late Island with the lake in the background
Tofua
Camping on Tofua’s summit

Rainbow Over Ulong Island, Palau

ulong rainbow

Our work is motivated by a deep love of islands and the people who live on them. There’s something so special about these ecosystems that foster such unique life. Believing in the beauty of islands isn’t hard on Palau, where the Rock Islands Southern Lagoon is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We’ve been working to remove invasive species in this endemic bird haven for many years. The results—renewed ecosystems, flourishing wildlife, and abundant fauna—usually speak for themselves. 

Sometimes, though, even the sky reminds us that the places we’re working to protect are beautiful. This rainbow over Ulong Island is evidence both of the unique weather system that keeps Palau so lush and of the majesty of these precious environments we strive to restore. 

The Bakery Dog from Tuvalu Island

bakery dog

Our South and West Pacific Project Manager, Jesse Friedlander, took this photo in Tuvalu while beginning the project of removing invasive rats from Funafuti Atoll. This dog lives at the local bakery, where our team fueled up every morning, and demanded a daily samosa before they were allowed to take a fishing boat to the islands of Tepuka and Falefatu. We work hard at Island Conservation to keep costs low, but some tolls must be paid.

Land Reclamation in Tuvalu

tuvalu land reclamation

Many suggest that Tuvalu, being a very low-elevation nation of atolls, might be the first to sink under the waves as a result of sea level rise. To many, discussions of the effects of climate change can feel abstract, but in Tuvalu they’re all too real, and emergency measures must be taken. This photo shows a land reclamation project that takes sand from underwater and piles it behind bags, extending Tuvalu’s coastline.

Finding climate solutions to protect islands is more urgent than ever, and so is making sure that the terrestrial ecosystems under threat are healthy themselves. Strong nutrient flows from healthy land can enrich near-shore ecosystems, protecting island nations like Tuvalu from extreme weather. In conjunction with land reclamation projects like this one, restoration and rewilding represent a ray of hope for the future of such threatened islands.

Tortoises of Floreana Island, Galapagos

floreana tortoise
Photo by Joshua Vela

The Galápagos islands are famous for their rich and diverse wildlife, and principal among them is the giant tortoise. Tortoises are themselves iconic, but on these remote Ecuadorian islands they’ve grown to truly gargantuan proportions. The tortoise species endemic to Floreana Island, the Floreana Giant Tortoise, is extinct; however, their genetic material lives on in populations of hybrid tortoises that inhabit other islands. Through a groundbreaking captive breeding program, around 400 baby tortoises are ready to be released back onto their ancestral home on Floreana in 2024 thanks to our project with local partners and the Floreana Community to remove invasive species. The reintroduction of this ecosystem engineer paves the pathway for the island’s recovery!

Floreana’s Inspiring Future

kids on Floreana
Photo by Joshua Vela

Our most important partners on Floreana are the people who live there. We share their vision of a healthy, biodiverse island that’s a home to thriving communities of humans, plants, and animals. Part of our work has involved environmental education for kids and people with disabilities, sowing the seeds of stewardship across generations. The kids in this picture are exploring their love for their island home and learning about what the removal of invasive species means for their community.

Robinson Crusoe Island, Chile

robinson crusoe landscape
Photo by Rolando Andrés Chamorro Recabarren

Since the 18th Century, the story of Robinson Crusoe—a shipwrecked sailor on a deserted island—has captivated the minds of adventurous spirits everywhere. The island that may have inspired the story lies off the coast of Chile, but it is far from deserted. Plants, animals, and people share this beautiful land which is teeming with life. Nonetheless, the dramatic landscape does feel like something out of a fairy tale. Pictured here behind a team of conservation pros, the sheer cliffs and steep forests inspire awe—and big smiles!

The Land-Sea Connection

robinson crusoe hand in water
Photo by Rolando Andrés Chamorro Recabarren

Robinson Crusoe Island is home to a close-knit community, sustained by the abundance of the land and sea. The local economy depends on the health of key populations of fish and lobsters, and living in relationship to these delicate systems has fostered a unique human-animal connection. This gorgeous photo captures the intimacy between above and below, showing how nothing in nature is ever really isolated.

Celebrate Islands!

Sharing the beautiful things we see and do with the world is one of our favorite parts of conservation work. The diversity of places, people, plants, and animals we get to see keeps us continuously inspired to work for healthy island ecosystems around the world! To keep updated on our work throughout the year, see key stories as they emerge, and get more beautiful conservation photos right in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter, and lend your support to our mission of restoring and rewilding islands for people and nature.

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