The Falklands, penguins and oil
This past December, I was fortunate to travel to the Falkland Islands. For ecotourism and birdwatching, it is a fantastic place. Many of the outer islands are replete with penguins, albatrosses, rare birds, and sea lions. It is the kind of destination that are few and far between in our modern world. But as much as I was thrilled with hanging out with the wild birds and experiencing the quiet, stark beauty of their coast, I also came away disappointed.
It seems the small Falkland Islands nation is determined to go forward with extensive offshore oil drilling development in the years ahead. And that imperils their much greater treasure, the enormous number of penguins
and other diverse wildlife who also depend upon their land and sea. The questions I put to the friendly Falkanders are: what good is a bank full of money if it causes you to despoil all that makes your home special? Is that really worth the gamble? And do you really need so much more money when the Falklanders already enjoy an enviable standard of living?
In addition to stories on the Falklands, among the other stories in this issue we dig in-depth into the creation of the new Patagonia National Park and the road ahead now that Tompkins Conservation has handed the keys to Chile’s government. Zoe Baillargeon reports on the really good liquors being produced in Patagonia. We take a look at the high cost of continuing salmon farming expansion to southernmost Patagonia. And we’re honored to include a photo essay on Patagonia’s wild coast by Nicolas Piwonka, who for more than four decades has been one of Chile’s very best nature photographers.
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