The Nature of the UK Overseas Territories & Crown Dependencies
At the start of its 40th anniversary year, UKOTCF is delighted to announce the publication, in November 2026, of its new book, The Nature of the UK Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies, published by NatureBureau/Pisces Publications. This is the result of over five years of work by a UKOTCF editorial team, authors and those providing superb images – all of whom contributed without payment, in order to keep the price of the book reasonable. We are grateful also to the sponsors who helped offset costs to UKOTCF. These are: the British Association of Nature Conservationists (BANC); Garfield Weston Foundation; M&G Peel Inc., in memory of Lady Dace McCoy Ground; HM Government of Gibraltar; Oceanwide Expeditions; the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management; and Dr Mike & Mrs Ann Pienkowski.
The price, including p&p at cost, are: UK&CDs £32.75; Europe £41.45; rest of the world £57.00.
Some sample pages from the book:
Each territory also has a specially prepared map drawn to mark important nature features. Editors and authors were drawn
from 16 of the 21 UK Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies, UK and a few other countries, with examples, photographs and input from all the others as well. The book was edited by Mike Pienkowski and Sara Oldfield, assisted by Catherine Wensink, Ann Pienkowski, Keith Bensusan, Adam Riggs and Jodey Peyton. The Contents (and lead authors) include:
• Acknowledgements
• Foreword, by Professor John Cortés MP (Minister for Education, the Environment, Sustainability, Climate, Heritage, Technical Services and Transport, HM Government of Gibraltar; and Chair of the Council of Environment Ministers of UK Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies)
• Chapter 1 Introduction (Dr Mike Pienkowski & Catherine Wensink)
• Chapter 2 Flora–diversity, endemism, rarity and threats (Sara Oldfield)
• Chapter 3 Terrestrial invertebrate diversity and endemism (Vicky Wilkins & Liza Fowler)
• Chapter 4 Reptiles and Amphibians (Paul Edgar, with Frederick J Burton & Cerys Joshua)
• Chapter 5 Birds–flagships for global conservation (Dr Mike Pienkowski)
• Chapter 6 Marine Diversity (Adam Riggs & Dr Kathleen McNary)
• Chapter 7 Conservation arrangements and mechanisms (Dr Mike Pienkowski & Catherine Wensink)
• Chapter 8 Human Communities in the UKOTs: sustainable livelihoods, challenges and opportunities (Catherine Wensink & John Pinel)
• Chapter 9 Tackling invasive non-native species & restoring ecosystems (Dr Rebecca Cairns-Wicks, Dr Jodey Peyton & Dr Alan Gray)
• Chapter 10 Managing Marine Resources (Adam Riggs & Alizée Zimmermann)
• Chapter 11 Global Connectivity & Global Climate Change (Sara Oldfield & Dr Keith Bensusan)
• Chapter 12 Looking ahead (Catherine Wensink, with contributions by younger persons)
References
• Appendix 1. Conservation and related organisations in the UK Overseas Territories and Crown
Dependencies
• Appendix 2. Visiting the UK Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies
• Appendix 3. Glossary of abbreviations and terms
• Index
This book is being published around the start of the 40th year since the publication of the seminal review of conservation importance and requirements Fragments of Paradise by Sara Oldfield, and the consequent formation in the same year of what became the UK Overseas Territories Conservation Forum. It is clear that huge progress has been made by the efforts for conservation since then – but equally many challenges remain. In his Foreword, Professor Cortés highlights the importance of sharing and collaboration, which are contributing to overcoming these challenges and helping progress conservation in the UK Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. Indeed, a huge number of people and organisations listed in two full pages of the book’s Acknowledgements demonstrate the amazing depth and cooperative working of the cross-territory input to the content of the book. Many thanks to the whole UKOTCF network.