January 15, 2025
We’re Joining the Global Rewilding Alliance!
We're joining the Global Rewilding Alliance, a network of environmental organizations around the world!
Our new online shop is live!
What does real, tangible impact look like?
We’re a small but mighty team working to transform ecosystems that are on the brink of collapse. We know the power of our approach and have witnessed islands rebound as a result. With every project we take on, we track recovery from start to finish and then some. But our impact goes beyond numbers; it’s about lasting change for nature and people worldwide.
The impacts of island restoration extend far beyond the coastlines of our project sites. We see enhanced community wellbeing, improved ocean health, thriving island biodiversity, increased resiliency to climate change, and millions of carbon sequestered from the atmosphere.
Keep scrolling to see our impact stories.
Restored islands produce outsized benefits.
Here are a few of our success stories
Swipe to check out our impact and success stories
On Palmyra Atoll, USA we saw a 5000% increase in native trees after the removal of introduced, damaging invasive species. The resurgence of native plants allowed for thriving seabird populations to return, spreading their guano and providing the stepping stones for reduced erosion, larger fish populations, and increased coral health.
The residents of Ulithi Atoll wasted no time in revitalizing the agricultural potential on the gardening island of Loosiep once restored. Crops such as bananas, sweet potatoes, and breadfruit have been planted, restoring a vital source of food.
On Pajaros Uno Island, Chile, Peruvian Diving-Petrels returned to the island for the first time in over forty years. Connector species, like seabirds, play a vital role in island health by providing essential nutrients.
Formerly known as Rat Island, native Aleut people successfully petitioned to restore Hawadax Island to it’s original name. Now, the island is a nesting ground for the Tufted Puffin – a seabird which had previously not been seen there for almost 200 years.
This was an Extinct-in-the-Wild Pinzon Giant Tortoise. Within a year of removing invasive rats, baby tortoises were being born and thriving. Today the tortoise has been downlisted. In addition to the tortoise recovering, we also documented the return of a gecko thought to be extinct and an endemic snail species that was never before recorded!
When we remove invasive species and revive native vegetation, seabird populations can flourish once again. The increase in nitrogen from seabird guano bolsters coral growth rates and enhances reef fish biomass.
Lush, biodiverse island ecosystems can capture millions of metric tons of carbon per year in the form of plants, animals, and soils. Our projects focus on holistic restoration, resulting in restored ecosystems that act as natural carbon sinks.
When we focus on holistic restoration, we see multiple spillover benefits for nature and people around the world. Check out some of our favorite success stories over the last 30 years.
Salestine Soholfal
Ulithi Atoll Community Member
Check out our most recent success stories.
January 15, 2025
We're joining the Global Rewilding Alliance, a network of environmental organizations around the world!
January 6, 2025
Some truly good news to brighten your day. Enjoy these stories of people helping to heal the natural world--and succeeding!
November 12, 2024
Endangered Polynesian storm-petrels returning to Kamaka Island, French Polynesia within one month of social attraction tools being deployed. Polynesian storm-petrels have not been recorded on Kamaka Island for over 100 years due to invasive rats. These seabirds are able…
August 6, 2024
New research shows the vital link between island restoration, healthy seabird populations, and resilient, thriving coral reefs!
June 11, 2024
Read about Nathaniel Hanna Holloway's experience doing marine monitoring in the Galápagos!
June 5, 2024
A recent monitoring trip to Late Island shows promising results!
April 18, 2024
Everything you need to know about nature-based carbon capture and how it helps islands build climate resilience!
April 4, 2024
Learn how bird poop is the key to healthy island wildlife, coral reefs, and communities!
April 2, 2024
Loosiep Island in Ulithi Atoll, Yap State, is now confirmed to be free from damaging invasive species!
March 25, 2024
Penny Becker, Island Conservation’s Vice President of Conservation, wrote an article about connector species that was recently featured by our partners at Galapagos Conservation Trust. Her groundbreaking research has helped uncover the vital connections between land and sea, sparking a…
March 18, 2024
Island Conservation turns 30! Three decades of work add up to an immeasurable number of positive impacts.
February 6, 2024
Endangered Seabird Population Flourishing on Chilean Island for First Time in Decades Thanks to Invasive Rabbit Removal
January 18, 2024
As climate change continues to threaten coral reefs globally, a recent study published in Science sheds light on a natural ally in the fight for reef resilience: seabirds. The connection between seabird-derived nutrient subsidies, invasive species, and coral recovery holds…
December 29, 2023
Everything is connected. Atoll islands have often been deemed an inevitable lost cause when it comes to climate change and sea level rise due to their low-lying elevations. A new article in Cell Press aims to bust this myth as…
December 26, 2023
Imagine there is a leak in your ceiling at home and every time it rains, it just keeps getting worse. You keep replacing the buckets to collect the dripping water, but you and your family are frustrated that it is…
Learn more about the spillover benefits of island restoration.
October 3, 2024
Island Conservation and partners have published a new paper quantifying ecosystem resilience on restored islands!
September 5, 2024
With sea levels on the rise, how are the coastlines of islands transforming? Read on to find out how dynamic islands really are!
August 6, 2024
New research shows the vital link between island restoration, healthy seabird populations, and resilient, thriving coral reefs!
March 25, 2024
Penny Becker, Island Conservation’s Vice President of Conservation, wrote an article about connector species that was recently featured by our partners at Galapagos Conservation Trust. Her groundbreaking research has helped uncover the vital connections between land and sea, sparking a…
January 18, 2024
As climate change continues to threaten coral reefs globally, a recent study published in Science sheds light on a natural ally in the fight for reef resilience: seabirds. The connection between seabird-derived nutrient subsidies, invasive species, and coral recovery holds…
December 29, 2023
Everything is connected. Atoll islands have often been deemed an inevitable lost cause when it comes to climate change and sea level rise due to their low-lying elevations. A new article in Cell Press aims to bust this myth as…
July 17, 2023
A new study in ScienceDirect led by Anna J. Turbelin analyzes biological invasions (invasive species) and natural hazards (storms, floods and wildfires) damage cost data over 1980–2019 and finds that invasion costs are as costly and increased faster over time…
May 31, 2023
Let’s say you’re trying to kickstart the economy of a small town that once used to thrive. You tell all your friends to go visit the town. You send out a rallying cry for investors. You pay for advertising that…
December 22, 2022
For better or worse, the modern world is driven by economics, and it is often the case that collective action can only be motivated by alarming financial realities. A new paper underscores the urgency with which we should protect and…
December 5, 2022
A research and conservation collaboration highlights rewilding islands and breaking down artificial silos for big marine and terrestrial gains Restoring and rewilding islands that have been decimated by damaging invasive species provides benefits to not only the terrestrial ecosystem but…
August 10, 2022
Island Conservation’s David Will co-authored an important paper that shows the power of eradications. The Database of Island Invasive Species Eradications (DIISE) demonstrates that our targeted actions bring incredible returns on investment.
August 13, 2020
Researchers establish explicit connections between invasive vertebrate eradication on islands and socioeconomic and human health benefits to island communities, addressing global sustainable development targets. RELEASED: August 13, 2020 at 9:00 AM PST Media contact: Claudio Uribe, Island Conservation;claudio.uribe@islandconservation.orgResources: Research paper,…
July 17, 2018
New research demonstrates a strong positive benefit to native trees following invasive species removal. Media Release New research published in PLOS ONE this week demonstrates dramatic positive benefits for native trees following rat removal at Palmyra Atoll, a magnificent National Wildlife…
In recent years, we launched our Drone Program which has already resulted in new levels of efficiency and scalability for our projects.
We utilized the power of drones to increase our number of projects by 67%, are employing them in species monitoring, and are now working to see how we can pair them with cutting-edge imaging to classify animals more efficiently.