"I am delighted to have been able to come to Diego Garcia to do this mission in the protection of the environment. It’s different here; it’s natural."
- Jonathan Isou, expedition participant
Four members of Britain’s Chagossian community embarked on a conservation expedition in June 2011 to the Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, home of the world’s largest marine reserve. For one week, they worked to conserve and restore the health of Diego Garcia, the archipelago’s largest island, by helping to remove invasive trees and replace them with native species.
The expedition follows the UK government’s April 2010 designation of the Chagos islands and surrounding waters as the world’s largest no-take marine reserve. The Chagossians’ trip was part of the Barton Point Restoration Project, an effort funded by the British Indian Ocean Territory Administration, the Chagos Conservation Trust, and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.
Learn more about the Chagos marine reserve and hear firsthand from some of the participants about their expedition:
