Throughout lockdown we have continued to work on a number of initiatives, these include:

• In July, we launched a new website. This involved an enormous amount of work, but it means we are able to save major costs. You may not notice a big difference (which is deliberate), but will ensure this resource is there for a good while yet.
• We published Forum News 52 in July and Forum News 53 in November. Some topics covered include:
  • Sargassum inundations – the search for solutions
  • New UKOTCF member organisation: Manx Wildlife Trust
  • Fifteen Years of Caicos Pine Conservation Work
  • Tristan da Cunha declares huge marine protected area
  • The horrors of Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease
  • UKOTCF-led work describes 11 insect species new to science, 6 endemic to Montserrat
  • For more see: http://www.ukotcf.org.uk/newsletters/forum-newsvers2/)
• We have been working with some brilliant volunteers, as well as other partners, to continue cataloguing endemic and near-endemic species and subspecies of animals, plants and other taxa in the UKOTs and CDs. We have also made a start on some related awareness-raising activities, centred on Parliament and sports personalities, Championing these species.  
• We have applied for a one-year grant by the Garfield Weston Foundation to develop several initiatives. More updates throughout the year!

Looking ahead to 2021:

• We are organising an online meeting of conservation practitioners (and others who are interested). It will take place over four days in March (2nd & 3rd, 9th& 10th) see:http://www.ukotcf.org.uk/onlineconference2021  
• We are working towards securing funding for several other projects (particularly empowering local communities to protect their special species and habitats and around the problem of plastic waste).