St. Helena, 122 sq km, has a resident population of about 5000. It lies 1,960km from the SW coast of Africa and 2,900km east of South America. The nearest land is Ascension Island, 1300 km north. The Environmental Conservation Section of the St Helena Government Agriculture and Natural Resources Department has been the lead agency in environmental conservation. Non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the St Helena Nature Conservation Group and the Sandy Bay Environmental Centre, are increasingly active in the development of conservation and education.
Massive destruction of native plants and animals followed the Island's discovery in 1502. Deliberate introductions of alien plants and animals have caused further declines of habitats and species. Remaining, scattered patches of native vegetation are too small to have preserved all the plants of the varied habitats. Six species have become extinct, and several survive only in cultivation. Small population sizes and alien species are the greatest threats to the survival of St Helena's land plants and animals. Reasons for the decline of wirebirds are being studied.
The activity most affecting the marine environment is fishing. St Helena's unique fishes are not important commercially. However, fishing effort directed at lobsters, glasseyes and groupers has impacted the inshore nutrient cycling systems. Quotas are now set for the grouper fishery after recognition of a danger of over-fishing.