Falklands Conservation is the oldest and largest membership-based charity in the Falkland Islands, comprising 14 staff. In November 2022, the Foundation provided £121,000 of funding to Falklands Conservation for 16 months.
Falklands Conservation works with government and local landowners to establish novel approaches to progress a rejuvenated conservation area agenda, setting new precedents for public and private land. Falkland Conservation has extensive experience of successfully delivering practical conservation projects, scientific studies, environmental policy advocacy and oversight, as well as encouraging sound public and private sector decision-making in relation to the environment.
Our funding to Falklands Conservation was made through our UK Overseas Territories Fund, and it aims to protect the unique peatland mountain ranges in the Falkland Islands, and to support the creation of the Falkland Islands' first National Park. Our funding will specifically support a project that aims to protect two peatland mountain ranges internationally recognised in 2012 as Important Plant Areas, and are of critical importance for the conservation of Falklands Nassauvia, a Critically Endangered restricted range endemic plant.
The National Park would be the first high altitude protected area in the Falkland Islands, covering 11,833 hectares (29,240 acres) of public land, and conserving unique and diverse habitats. Recognised as an important plant area and key biodiversity area, the mountains are home to a third of the Islands native flora species and provide habitat for native birds. Falklands Conservation recently conducted botanical surveys in the mountains that will greatly assist with the development of policy and an active park management plan, which will also consider how to enable effective public access, and opportunities for recreation, wellbeing, and tourism.
We committed to this grant because we felt it was an incredibly exciting proposal that could be transformative for this infamously tricky conservation issue, and we also recognised that Falklands Conservation has very robust institutional leadership and management processes, and a very strong track record of working in collaboration with local community partners to achieve strong conservation gains.
Since making this grant, we were thrilled to hear in March 2022 that the Falklands Government has committed to creating the Territory’s first ever National Park, in the Hill Cove Mountains on West Falkland, one of the focal areas. Our grant will support Falklands Conservation in their work to inform and support the consultation and designation process.
On their experience of applying to us, Esther Bertram, CEO of Falklands Conservation said: “John Ellerman Foundation is a genuinely excellent and personally interested funder who are refreshing to work with. They provide core support, make timely decisions (which is invaluable), and respond to real need. Once they are confident with a grant-holder’s abilities, they do not require lots of time consuming reporting. This has enabled us to apply quickly and get on with the activities on the ground, without taking time away from important conservation work.”