MACQUARIE ISLAND CONSERVATION FOUNDATION
The Macquarie Island Conservation Foundation aims to fund and facilitate science and research programs, as well as provide supplementary support to management initiatives, student projects and outreach activities which will benefit the conservation of Macquarie Island.
The Foundation also seeks to provide an ongoing connection to Macquarie Island through news and updates about the island for those whose imaginations have been captured by this wild place, and to inspire others to value and contribute to the protection of the island and its unique inhabitants.
Latest News
Our vision for Macquarie Island is that the natural and heritage values remain protected from threats and conserved for current and future generations.
A changing island
The island’s irreplaceable ecosystems have experienced dramatic change over time. Seal and penguin populations were decimated for oil and fur in the 1800s. The hunters brought with them invasive predators and grazers that wiped out two native bird species, destroyed the vegetation and eroded the landscape. After an intensive pest eradication project run by the Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service, the last of the introduced vertebrate were removed in 2011. Since then, the island’s ecosystems have recovered remarkably, and it is once again one of the most unique and spectacular environments on the planet.
However, the flora and fauna of Macquarie Island still face persistent and new threats. Climate change is altering the island’s weather patterns and also the conditions in the surrounding oceans. The critically endangered endemic Azorella cushion plant is being impacted by disease and changes in rainfall. Some seabird and seal populations are declining for reasons that are often unclear. Long-term monitoring and research programs are critical to understand what is driving these changes so necessary conservation and management interventions can be identified.
Your contribution will help us protect precious sub-Antarctic ecosystems, connect people and place, inspire the next generation and support conservation action.
Protect
Our rapidly changing world has consequences for ecosystems everywhere. More and more, conservation and research initiatives are hampered by a backdrop of reduced funding. Despite its remoteness, the sub-Antarctic is not immune to these forces. The Foundation aims to deliver a sustainable funding stream to facilitate conservation and research initiatives through grants and targeted funding of larger projects.
Connect
Macquarie Island is only accessible to a small group of people, yet evokes strong feelings of connection for those privileged to set foot on the island’s shores and those who have been captivated by photos and stories. The Foundation will provide an avenue for people to stay connected with the island through a website, social media, events and newsletters. We will have a particular focus on the conservation of the island’s natural values.
Inspire
We want to inspire the community to make Macquarie Island part of their lives. The Foundation will bring this island to the community and to our schools to showcase its rich biodiversity and unique values. We will participate in festivals and school outreach programs, aiming to create a sense of ownership and excitement towards Tasmania’s most southern island.
Support
We seek to provide sustainability for research and conservation management and enable long-term protection for Macquarie Island, but we need your help. With your support of financial contributions, membership or volunteering in the community, we will be able to support these above initiatives. Please read through these pages to learn more about the island, read about the current and future projects we are funding, or to make a tax deductible donation to support this important work. Please contact us on info@macquarieisland.org or through the webpage for more information.