D E A R F R I E N D S ,

Every day we do our best to make the right choices for our planet. Yet, it’s easy to wonder if our choices are having a measurable impact. Will our e�orts really make the world a better place for generations to come?

If there is one conservation action we can depend on for tangible change, it’s island restoration. Removing invasive species from islands works. It results in healthy ecosystems, reinvigorated livelihoods, and thriving native plants and animals.

This gives me hope.

Our 2016-2017 Impact Report highlights the tangible results achieved by our most recent island restoration projects. In 2017, we announced the successful restoration of seven islands in three di�erent regions of the world. Desecheo Island, Puerto Rico is now ideally positioned to once again host large colonies of seabirds and native lizard species. Habitat for the Critically Endangered Polynesian Ground-dove and Endangered Tuamotu Sandpiper has doubled thanks to the restoration of five islands in the Acteon and Gambier archipelagos in French Polynesia. Critically Endangered juvenile Ricord’s Iguanas and Vulnerable Rhinoceros Iguanas are now scurrying about on Cabritos Island, Dominican Republic—a sight rarely seen when invasive species were present.

As we celebrate our successes, we continue to look forward and advance our work on Alejandro Selkirk Island in Chile, Floreana Island in the Galápagos, and more for 2018 and beyond.

Thank you to our donors, partners, and friends. You make our work possible. May you face each day hopeful for a future even brighter than imagined, knowing that you are a part of real change.

Best,

Island Conservation CEO Island Conservation Chair

Karen Poiani Angus Parker

Cover photo:Polynesian Ground-dove on Acteon & Gambier archipelagosFrench Polynesia. Credit: Maddy Pott

Acteon & Gambier photo:Tuamotu Sandpiper on Vahanga AtollFrench Polynesia. Credit: Maddy Pott

Desecheo photo:Desecheo IslandPuerto Rico. Credit: Claudio Uribe

Cabritos photo:Ricord's Iguana on Cabritos IslandDominican Republic. Credit: Wes Jolley

Back photo:Rhinoceros Iguana on Cabritos Island,Dominican Republic. Credit: Tommy Hall

www.islandconservation.org

IMPACT REPORT2 0 1 6 / 2 0 1 7

W H Y I S L A N D S

Islands are biodiversity hotspots well known for their species richness. Island ecosystems are also among the more vulnerable environments on Earth and host 75% of all known animal extinctions. The primary driver of these extinctions? Invasive species.

Invasive species are non-native and cause environmental, social, or economic harm when introduced to a region. On islands, the presence of invasive species is particularly problematic because the native plants and wildlife have often evolved without defenses against invasive impacts.

Because islands are small and surrounded by water, invasive species can quickly overwhelm and alter an island ecosystem. Invasive predators easily raid nests and prey on juvenile birds and reptiles, while invasive herbivores cause damage by overgrazing native vegetation

and trampling sensitive habitat. Fortunately, on many islands, populations of invasive species can be completely removed. After the last invasive individual has been removed from an island, many plants and animals will begin to recover, and other key restoration activities can take place. Island restoration is one of those rare and refreshing conservation undertakings that can be declared successful with finality and clarity.

By working together, we can achieve remarkable conservation breakthroughs that prevent extinctions and allow native island plants and wildlife to thrive again. Since Island Conservation’s inception over 20 years ago, we’ve worked for this transformation on 59 islands. Thanks to your support, that number continues to climb. With each passing year, we’re picking up speed in the race against extinction.

I S L A N D S R E P R E S E N T

© Island Conservation 2017

Bellard et al. 2015UNEP-WCMC 2015 Tershy et al. 2015 Spatz et al. 2017 Tershy et al. 2015

I N VA S I V E A L I E N S P E C I E S

% % %Of the Earth's landmass

5.3 %Of bird, amphibian, mammal,

and reptile extinctions

75 %Of all CR and EN

terrestrial vertebrates

41Of avian biodiversity

19Of recorded extinctions linked to

invasives occurred on islands

86

2016/2017 DONORS2016 FINANCIAL INFORMATION DELIVERING REAL RESULTSRESTORATION ON THE RISESELECT SITES OF OUR

CONSERVATION INTERVENTION PARTNERSHIPS Aaron and Marina KillickAcacia Conservation FundAlan and Ashley DabbiereAlan and Ruth KeittAmber DuncanAndrew LukAnne ScholtenAnonymous DonorsAnthony Brake and Yvonne McHughAspen Helicopters Association of Retired Safeway EmployeesAtherton Family FoundationAudrey NewmanBailey Smith FundBaldo Marinovic & Kristen TibbittsBell LaboratoriesBellevue FoundationBeth SummersBirdlife InternationalBruce PosthumusBruce WeissgoldCathy GranholmChris Dunn and Michele McKinleyChris MoserChristine SculatiChristine SodtChristopher MartinClark MitchelCoastal ConservationCorporación Nacional Forestal Cristina Mittermeier PhotographyDan Simberlo� and Mary TeboDarwin Initiative, UK GovernmentDave KwinterDavid and Carol FinkelsteinDavid HartleyDawson Family FundDean and Makayla CounselmanDeborah DunnNorth Carolina State UniversityDennis and Jan IoccoDepartment of Land and Natural Resources - Hawaii Devrin WeissDominic ChaplinDon MacnaughtanElectra FoundationEnvironment and Climate Change CanadaEric ClevelandFernando MelladoFletcher Bay FoundationFondation EnsembleFondo Especies Invasoras Galapagos Foothill Knolls Elementary School, 4th Grade ClassFoothill Knolls Elementary School, 5th Grade ClassFrans LantingGalapagos ConservancyGavin ShireGibson ReynoldsGlen TepkeGlenn Skankey

Govert van DrimmelenGraham MannionHarrods Creek Fund on behalf of Hal Candee and Eliza BrownHeath PackardIan PirieIngrid Parker and Gregory GilbertInternational Galapagos Tour Operators AssociationFoote Trust - Invasive Species Council of Australia Iris SoltraIrving Decatur & Cecile DerouinJ. Royden SaahJack and Rikki SwensonJanet EyreJanning KennedyJason WeinsteinJennifer RycengaJoe BeekJohn and Evelyn ReaddieJon Hoekstra and Jennifer SteeleJonathan Franzen and Kathy Chetkovich Joyce and Brian BenderJulio and Michelle RamirezJustine Willeford, The Pelican HouseKathryn TosneyKathryn WaldmanKeidanren Nature Conservation Fund Kevin and Sabrina McDonald Family FundKingfisher FoundationKirk ElwellKirsten LiskeLara KilpatrickLarisa StephanLeo Model FoundationLesley FranzLeslie Larson and Michael BennettLibra FoundationLindblad Expeditions - National Geographic SocietyLydia GarveyMacKinnon Family Charitable FoundationMalcolm RobertsMarch Conservation FundMark and Leila SutherlandMark ShwartzMarty KrasneyMary and John WegmannMavis MusitelliMaynard DavisMcGreevy and Winer Family FundMerren TaitMichael BlumMichael MuchmoreMichael PuenteMichael SweeneyMNM Charitable FundMoore Family FoundationMorrison FoersterNational Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Pelagic Bird FundNational Geographic Society

National Park ServiceNEDO/Equilibrio FilmsNeil EstepNick and Emmalie Hall-SkankOpen Door FoundationPacific Development and Conservation Trust Peter and Carroll McCallumPhillip ErvenQuinn RennerfeldtRebecca GradyReed and Sunshine Du�usRepass-Rodgers Fund for the Environment at Community Foundation Santa CruzRJM FoundationRoman BodinekSalesforce FoundationSally EspositoSandler FoundationSara KaiserSchmitz-Fromherz Family FundSecretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme Shanbrom Family FoundationShawn ZackSolon and Diane FinkelsteinStanford Alumni GroupStephanie Clark-PovedaStephen and Evelyn KnaebelStephen and Sheryl JohnsonSteven ReneauSusan Scott and Craig ThomasSydney ArkowitzTanya AtwaterTeresa BeckTexas Parks and Wildlife Foundation The Baltoro TrustThe Betty Millard FoundationThe Bobolink FoundationThe Charitable Gift Trust of R. James MacaleerThe David and Lucile Packard FoundationThe Fenton Family Gift FundThe Galapagos Conservation Trust The Graf-Pulvino Family FundThe Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable TrustThe Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation FundThe Seaver InstituteThe William K. Bowes, Jr. FoundationTides Foundation on the recommendation of Ms. Julie Parker Benello and Mr. Allen Benello Tim BurnettTony HendersonU.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceUnited Nations Development Programme, Global Environment Facility Ventana Surfboards & SuppliesWarren B. King TteeWilliam DelveauxWilson Conservation TrustWolf Creek Charitable Foundation

Donors as of October 2017

ACTEON & GAMBIER ARCHIPELAGOSFrench Polynesia

In June 2017, just two years after ambitious restoration e�orts, Island Conservation, Birdlife International, and SOP Manu declared five islands in French Polynesia’s Acteon and Gambier archipelagos safe havens for some of our world’s rarest birds. Islands within the Acteon and Gambier archipelagos provide critical habitat for the Critically Endangered Polynesian Ground-dove, locally known as Tutururu, and the Endangered Tuamotu Sandpiper, locally known as Titi. Fewer than 200 Tutururu and about 900 Titi remain in existence. Predation and competition by invasive mammals have driven these bird species to the brink of extinction. In 2015, the partners, with support from our donors, took action to protect these birds and other native species by removing invasive mammals.

Today, the islands are looking vibrant with the growth of new native vegetation. This restoration project has more than doubled safe breeding habitat for the Tutururu and the Titi. For the first time in decades, both bird species have established on Tenarunga and their populations are increasing.

CABRITOS ISLANDDominican Republic

Rare iguanas of Cabritos Island are poised to recover and thrive in their newly restored home. Cabritos, an island in a lake on the island of the Dominican Republic, is home to the Critically Endangered Ricord’s Iguana and the Vulnerable Rhinoceros Iguana. Over the years, invasive species, including feral cats and burros, have driven these iguana populations down to near extinction by eating their young, destroying nests, and damaging critical habitat.

To save Cabritos Island’s iguanas, Island Conservation teamed up with the Dominican Republic’s Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources and SOH Conservación. With the support of our donors, we joined a project in 2013 to remove the invasive predators.

The island is already showing signs of recovery with young iguanas scurrying about. In October 2017, Island Conservation and our partners returned to Cabritos and declared the project a success.

DESECHEO ISLANDPuerto Rico

Desecheo National Wildlife Refuge, Puerto Rico, is returning to life following intensive restoration e�orts. In June 2017, conservation biologists confirmed that the island is once again safe for seabirds, endemic lizards, three endemic arachnids, and the native, federally Threatened Higo Chumbo cactus. Since early in the 20th century, invasive mammals on Desecheo have caused extensive damage to the island’s native plants and wildlife. By the turn of the millennium, virtually no seabirds were present on the refuge. In response, the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Island Conservation, and other key partners, including the US Department of Agriculture, Bell Laboratories, and Tomcat, began restoring the island’s habitat by removing invasive species.

Today, we are seeing strong signs of native plants and animals recovering. There has been an expansion and growth of the Higo Chumbo cactus and an increase in nesting birds. With the USFWS, we have also begun planning for seabird restoration to speed up the return of key species including Audubon’s Shearwaters and Bridled Terns. The future of Desecheo is looking bright, with a chance to reclaim its status as the region’s most important seabird nesting site. View our full Impact Report online at:

www.islandconservation.org/report/2017

TOTAL REVENUE6,785,242

23%

CONTRIBUTIONS

49%

GRANTS3,300,121 1,617,821

OTHER INCOMECONTRACTS

1%27%

1,851,362 15,938

North American Region (including US territories)South American RegionCaribbean RegionSouthwest Pacific RegionOther Global PrioritiesConservation ScienceInnovation

Total Program Services

775,1841,550,2091,336,923

561,03221,090

228,686283,092

4,756,216

DevelopmentManagement & GeneralTotal Supporting Services

Total Expenses

575,9381,136,5201,712,458

6,468,674

PROGRAM SERVICES

SUPPORTING SERVICES

NGEANGES

DESECHEOCHAÑARALFLOREANA

ANTIPODES PALMYRAACTEON & GAMBIER MARQUESAS

PINZÓN

AUSTRALIA

ANACAPA SAN NICOLASKAHO’OLAWELEHUA

JUAN FERNÁNDEZCHOROS CABRITOS

HAWADAX

KAYANGEL

MIDWAYUnited States United StatesUnited StatesUnited StatesUnited StatesUS Territory

ALLEN CAYPuerto RicoChileGalápagosGalápagos ChileChile Dominican RepublicBahamas

TavolaraPalau New Zealand Line IslandsFrench Polynesia French PolynesiaPartnershipPalauItaly

IN NATURE NOTHING EXISTS ALONE

TOGETHER, WE PREVENT EXTINCTIONS

“RACHEL CARSON