Big Green Island

In 2016 the Pennicott Foundation contributed $60,000 towards the restoration of Big Green Island. This 125ha island is located off the west coast of Flinders Island, part of the Furneaux Group. Big Green Island is a nature reserve with high biodiversity values. Black rats first arrived on the island in the 19th century, surviving severe drought and numerous baiting cycles to swell to a population of 10,000. Their presence has devastated the breeding population of 45,000 seabirds including shearwaters, penguins, Cape Barren geese, gulls and terns.

The project saw 2,200 bait stations installed across the island during 2016. Four Pennicott Wilderness Journeys staff were part of the team of volunteers that walked the island daily checking bait stations. Monitoring on the island continues and it is hoped that the project will be declared a success later in 2018.