THE PROGRESS AND PROBLEMS OF THE ENDEMIC SECTION OF ST-HELENA ISLAND

St Helena is a small Atlantic island with an unusual and remarkable fl ora and fauna but with a legacy of ecological destruction typical of o ceanic islands. The efforts of the island's governmental Endemic Secti on in the conservation of the flora and fauna is examined alongside th e objectives of the section as listed in its current business plan. Th e worthy level of progress that is evident (including the rediscovery of species, habitat restoration and a high level of environmental awar eness) is attributed to local ownership, an emphasis on education, and pragmatism and flexibility. The problems that limit the section's lon g-term effectiveness are funding, limited baseline ecological informat ion and limited technical understanding.