(See also Regular publications, Conference reports and Publications for sale, under the Resources tab, for items in those categories.)

TitleDescriptionFile TypeFile Size
Review of performance by 2016 of UK Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies in implementing the 2001 Environment Charters or their equivalentsand moving towards the Aichi Targets and Sustainable Development Targets

Edited by: Sarah Barnsley, Emma Cary, Mike Pienkowski and Catherine Wensink,UK Overseas Territories Conservation Forum, April 2016

In this latest review of progress (2016), UKOTCF has included consideration of not just progess in implementing the Environment Charters (or their equivalents for territories without Charters), but also of progress towards the Aichi Targets on biodiversity and the related Sustainable Development Goals. Three PDF versions of varying size are available for download:

This review was adopted by the UKOT/CD Environment Ministers’ Council at their second meeting in Alderney in April 2017.		PDF0.9Mb – 6.05Mb
Britain’s Treasure Islands

The book linked to the series broadcast on BBC4, weekly from mid-April, 2016, and repeated 3 times that year and the next.
This work explores the wildlife, history and cultures of all 16 UK Overseas Territories. Scattered across all Seven Seas, the territories are home to 350,000 British subjects and thousands of unique animals and plants, including many of the greatest wildlife spectacles on Earth. Purchase here.

Hardback book–
Big Sand Cay, Turks & Caicos Islands
Protocol for visiting		Guide leaflet, written and produced by UKOTCF at the request of TCI Department of Environment & Coastal Affairs, for those wishing to visit the Sanctuary of Big Sand Cay, south of Salt Cay, Turks & Caicos IslandsPDF1819kb
Birding in Paradise – The Caribbean Emerald Isle of Montserrat This guide booklet on bird-watching and other heritage features in Montserrat was published by UKOTCF in association with its partner, the Montserrat National Trust, in October 2015. Purchase here. PDF or printed book–
Birding in Paradise – Turks & Caicos Islands: Providenciales, Middle & North Caicos, South Caicos, Grand Turk, & Salt CayThese 5 guide booklets on bird-watching and other heritage features in the Turks & Caicos Islands were published by UKOTCF in association with its partner, the Turks & Caicos National Museum, in 2014. Purchase here.PDF or printed book
Report on UKOTCF workshop on the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee report on Sustainability in the UK Overseas Territories, 16 January 2014, Gibraltar House, The Strand, LondonOn 16 January 2014, and at the suggestion of UK Parliament’s Environmental Audit Committee, UKOTCF hosted a workshop to discuss some of the points in the UK Parliaments Environment Audit Committee report (see item below Workshop with EAC to encourage protection of biodiversity). EAC workshop report169kb
Management of Marine Living Resources in the Waters around GibraltarThis topic has been of great concern in recent years, with much unauthorised cross-border fishing activity taking place. The Government of Gibraltar (HMGoG) decided to address this by securing hard evidence and a clear independent scientific analysis of the situation by qualified experts, one of whom would also chair the working group participating in this study. HMGoG sought UKOTCF’s advice and commissioned this via the latter, although neither HMGoG nor UKOTCF as an organisation influenced the report. The report and a statement by HMGoG were published on 4 June 2013. Since then, HMGoG has brought in and implemented regulations based on this.PDF6303kb

The Overseas Territories: Security, Success and Sustainability (Cm 8374): Proceedings of a workshop on 2nd October 2012 at Gibraltar House, the Strand, London, organised by the UK Overseas Territories Conservation Forum


Following the publication of the White Paper, UKOTCF put considerable effort into analysing the White Paper and produced a review [468kb] and a look at priority needs [54kb].

On 2 October 2012, UKOTCF organised a workshop, with a wide range of participants from Britain and the UKOTs, to discuss concerns that the UK Overseas Territories Conservation Forum network believes exist with the environmental aspects of the White Paper, The Overseas Territories: Security, Success and Sustainability (Cm 8374) [4.94Mb], and how to move forward from this.


This workshop followed on from workshops organised by UKOTCF in 2010 [186kb] and 2011 [1220kb] on biodiversity strategies, trying to complement the UK Government biodiversity ‘strategy’ for UKOTs – which was really a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between UK ministries, rather than a strategy – and attempting to relate this to other commitments, such as the Environment Charters and the Aichi Targets. The reports of these workshops are available at the links to the years above.

PDF3MB
Consultation on Implementing the Overseas Territories Strategy: Response from the UK Overseas Territories Conservation ForumUKOTCF’s response to UK Government’s consultation in preparation for a new White Paper on the UKOTsPDF470kb
Workshop on UK objectives for biodiversity conservation in the UK Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies, held on Tuesday 28th June 2011, at the Linnean Society, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London>Workshop to help identify objectives for a conservation strategy, building on the Environment Charters and linking to the recently agreed Aichi TargetsPDF1.2Mb
UKOTCF Seminar on the UK Government UKOT Biodiversity StrategyWorkshop on how to start turning the UK Government’s UKOT Biodiversity “Strategy” (actually a memorandum of agreement) into a strategy in its usual sensePDF190kb
Measures of performance by 2009 of UK Overseas Territories (& Crown Dependencies) and UK Government in implementing the 2001 Environment Charters or their equivalentsThe second UKOTCF review of progress on the Environment Charters.PDF380k
Measures of performance by 2007 of UKOTs and UK Government in implementing the 2001 Environment Charters or their equivalentsUKOTCF publishes first review of progress on the Environment Charters.PDF262kb
The Natural History of Tristan da CunhaThis 44-page photographically illustrated book, by Paul Tyler and Alison Rothwell, was produced by UKOTCF to make the scientific results of the Darwin Initiative project on biodiversity conservation in Tristan available for use by the island’s school. However, it will be of use too for a wider readership. Purchase here. PDF2.3Mb

Strategy for Action to implement St Helena’s Environment Charter


For more background on strategy development, see notes on linked page.PDF633kb
Strategy for Action to implement TCI’s Environment CharterFor more background on strategy development, see notes on linked page.PDF533kb
Review of existing and potential Ramsar sites in UK Overseas Territories and
Crown Dependencies (all parts of the report and its appendices are accessible/downloadable from this linked page)		The report by UKOTCF of a project reviewing the existing and potential Ramsar sites in UK Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. This report was commissioned from UKOTCF by Defra, as part of a review of all the Ramsar sites in domestic UK and its associated territories. Ramsar Sites are Wetlands of International Importance under the Convention on Wetlands signed at the city of Ramsar, Iran in 1971.PDFVarious
Henderson Island – World Heritage SiteManagement Plan 2004-2009. M de L Brooke, I Hepburn and R J Trevelyan. Published by FCO, and made available online by UKOTCF at their request.PDF1.2Mb
Promoting Biodiversity Conservation in the UK’s Overseas TerritoriesThis booklet provides an introduction to the remarkable biodiversity of the UK’s Overseas Territories and the work of the UKOTCF and its partner organisations to conserve this heritage.PDF2308kb
Plan for Biodiversity Management and Sustainable Development around Turks & Caicos Ramsar SiteThis plan, which covers the Ramsar Convention Wetland of International Importance in North, Middle and East Caicos with adjacent areas, and developed in consultation with the local community, lays out some aspects of an approach to develop an appropriate-scale eco-tourism industry which will preserve both the environmental resources and the human communities which have lived there for the last two centuries.PDF2334kb

DArWiN Issue 4/5 (except map, p5)
DArWiN Issue 4/5 page 5 (map)


DArWiN in TCI – Issues 2 & 3


DArWiN in TCI – Issue 1


DArWiN in TCI – Developing Biodiversity Management Capacity around the Ramsar Site in the Turks & Caicos Islands. Project newsletters 1 (August 2000), 2&3 (October 2001) and 4/5 (2004)

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Paradise mis-filed? by Mike Pienkowski – Editorial and Introduction from Ecos – the quarterly journal of the British Association of Nature Conservationists, Volume 19, Issue No.1 (1998), which was devoted to the UK Overseas Territories (then called “Dependent Territories”.Article outlines nature conservation issues in UK’s Overseas Territories and the role of UK Government and NGOs. It was also the first published version (although the ideas had already been put to UK Government) of what became the Environment Charters.PDF1006kb
Biodiversity laws in the EC’s associated territories, by Clare Coffey & Mike Pienkowski. Article in Ecos – the quarterly journal of the British Association of Nature Conservationists, Volume 19, Issue No.1 (1998)First review of the application of international environment agreements and EU measures to the overseas entities of EU Member StatesPDF369kb
Overlooking Britain’s Greatest Biodiversity? The Convention on Biological Diversity and the UK Overseas Territories, Ed. by Sara Cross & Mike Pienkowski, April 1998A report to the WWF-UK by the UKOTCF. The then FCO Head of Environment, Science & Energy Department indicated that he used this to set the priorities of work for ESEDPDF135kb