Projects

The projects listed on this page were funded by the Farallon Islands Foundation and/or by contributions from members of the Foundation's Board.

2023

Quantifying Microplastics in Marine Wildlife

A 2023 grant to Point Blue Conservation Science funded an assessment of microplastics in juvenile rockfish, a prey item for many seabirds. READ MORE.

Maintaining Long-Term Seabird Monitoring Programs

A 2023 grant to Point Blue Conservation Science supported the continuation of a long-term keystone data program monitoring Farallon Island seabirds. READ MORE.

2022

Climate-Smart Nest Boxes For Seabirds

A 2022 grant provided support to Point Blue Conservation Science for creating and evaluating climate-smart nesting habitat for cavity nesting seabirds on the Farallon Islands. READ MORE.

Conserving the Southern Antilles Iguana

A grant to Fauna & Flora International supported a population assessment and conservation action plan for the newly described Southern Antilles Iguana. READ MORE.

2021

Protecting the Endangered St. Vincent Parrot

FIF’s 2021 grant to Birds Caribbean provided funding to survey and relocate birds to a protected area during and after the 2021 volcanic eruptions of the La Soufriére Volcano. READ MORE.

Wave breaking on the coast of one of the Farallon Island

Farallon Islands House Mouse Removal Video

A grant to Point Blue provided support for an educational video on the benefits of eradicating invasive House Mice on the South Farallon Islands. READ MORE.

2020

Farallon Island Restoration Project Outreach

A grant to Point Blue Conservation Science provided support for outreach activities around a proposed project to eradicate invasive House Mice from the South Farallon Islands.

2019

Laboratory and Research Support in Madagascar

A grant to the Madagascar Fauna and Flora Group provided funding for equipment, a research project, and a training workshop at the new Mahaliana Molecular Biology Lab in Antananarivo, Madagascar.

Survey for Southern River Terrapin in Sumatra

A grant to the Turtle Survival Alliance in 2019 funded a baseline study in Sumatra for wild populations of the highly endangered Southern River Terrapin.

2018

Dick Spight Farallon Islands Foundation Internship

A grant to Point Blue provided funding for a seasonal intern who resided on the Farallon Islands from March 17 through August 18, 2018 conducting seabird monitoring research. The internship position was named in honor of Dick Spight, founder of FIF.

Assessing hurricane impacts to Puerto Rican Birds

During September 2017, the island of Puerto Rico was impacted by two major hurricanes. FIF’s 2018 grant to the Sociedad Ornitológica Puertorriqueña, Inc. (SOPI) and Vermont Center for Ecostudies (VCE) helped to fund an island-wide bird census to assess the impact of these hurricanes on Puerto Rican birds.

2017

Monitoring Plastic Debris in the Prince William Sound

A grant to the Gulf of Alaska Keeper (GoAK) will help this organization monitor plastic debris along the coast of Prince William Sound in the Gulf of Alaska. The northern Gulf of Alaska, including Prince William Sound, has one of the worst marine debris problems on the planet.

Creating Biodiversity Reserves in the Solomon Islands

FIF's 2017 grant to the Rainforest Trust will help fund the protection of biodiversity preserves on the islands of Teanu and Tinakula in the Solomon Islands, home to many endemic and endangered rainforest species.

2016

Preserving Forest Habitat in Sumatra

A grant to the Rainforest Trust will help fund the creation of three protected areas totaling 200,396 acres in the forest of central Sumatra. This land is habitat for the rare Sumatran Tiger and many other species.

Assessing Rat Removal Efforts on South Georgia Island

A grant to the Friends of South Georgia Island will help this organization to complete a survey of the island, assessing the success of rodent erradication efforts.

2015

Helping to preserve Indri habitat on Madagascar

FIF's grant to the Rainforest Trust will help this organization to purchase land and collaborate with local Malagasy partners protect a total of 74,816 acres of critical habitat on Eastern Madagascar.

Video and Interactive Map of Farallon National Wildlife Refuge

FIF helped fund an interactive map and video that will help tell the story of the Farallon islands and provide the public with visual access to the amazing wildlife and research that goes on at Farallon National Wildlife Refuge.

2014

Invasive species control on Henderson Island (2011 and 2014)

In the remote South Pacific lies uninhabited Henderson Island, 11,000 acres of subtropical scrub forest. The island hosts breeding colonies of Henderson Petrels as well as other endemic bird species. A grant from FIF helped fund the eradication of invasive rats on this subtropical island, greatly reducing stress on critical nesting habitat.

Norway brown rat control on South Georgia Island (2012, 2013 and 2014)

Mountainous and heavily glaciated South Georgia Island lies in the cold waters off Antarctica. Home to whaling and sealing fleets 100 years ago, the primary European inhabitant today is the Norway brown rat—a resident responsible for the ongoing devastation of South Georgia's bird population. FIF helped efforts to remove rats and restore island habitat on the rugged and remote island’s northwest coast.

2013

Equipment For The Study of Least Terns Alameda Island

The Golden Gate chapter of the National Audbon Society (GGAS) has been working since 1976 to study and protect Least Tern on Northern California's Alameda Island. FIF contributed toward the funding of a remotely-operated photographic system to learn more about predation patterns and tern behavior.

Study Of Critical Seabird Populations in the Farallons

FIF supported Point Reyes Bird Observatory research on the Farallon Islands' populations of Common Murre, Tufted Puffin and Cassin’s Auklet.

Norway brown rat control on South Georgia Island (2012, 2013 and 2014)

Mountainous and heavily glaciated South Georgia Island lies in the cold waters off Antarctica. Home to whaling and sealing fleets 100 years ago, the primary European inhabitant today is the Norway brown rat—a resident responsible for the ongoing devastation of South Georgia's bird population. FIF helped efforts to remove rats and restore island habitat on the rugged and remote island’s northwest coast.

2012

Norway brown rat control on South Georgia Island (2012, 2013 and 2014)

Mountainous and heavily glaciated South Georgia Island lies in the cold waters off Antarctica. Home to whaling and sealing fleets 100 years ago, the primary European inhabitant today is the Norway brown rat—a resident responsible for the ongoing devastation of South Georgia's bird population. FIF helped efforts to remove rats and restore island habitat on the rugged and remote island’s northwest coast.

2011

A Measuring Device For Ocean Habitat Research

The Foundation made a grant to Marine Applied Research & Exploration Group (MARE) towards the purchase of a sensor device for collecting underwater data around islands and the nearshore coastal habitats, transported by a remote-controlled vehicle.

Invasive species control on Henderson Island (2011 and 2014)

In the remote South Pacific lies uninhabited Henderson Island, 11,000 acres of subtropical scrub forest. The island hosts breeding colonies of Henderson Petrels as well as other endemic bird species. A grant from FIF helped fund the eradication of invasive rats on this subtropical island, greatly reducing stress on critical nesting habitat.

The Alameda County Breeding Bird Atlas

A detailed survey and guide to the present state of breeding avian populations in Alameda, CA. The Foundation made a contribution toward the publication of this volume drafted entirely by volunteers from local Audubon Society chapters.

2010

East Brother Lighthouse

To keep the Lighthouse functioning as a Bed and Breakfast, the kitchen needs to be brought up to restaurant standards. The Farallon Islands Foundation made a grant to help them upgrade their Kitchen.

Health clinic on Flores Island, Benteng Dewa (2008 and 2010)

With the support of the Farallon Islands Foundation, Seacology funded a community health clinic in support of 14,826 acres of forest (including about 618 acres of savannah) as a strict no-take zone for a minimum of 10 years.

2009

Nesting Boxes & Boardwalks on Año Nuevo Island (2008 and 2009)

The Rhinoceros Auklet (Cerorhinca monocerata) is a small seabird that nests in burrows on several islands including Año Nuevo Island in California. The virtual denuding of island vegetation caused collapse of the birds’ burrows and almost complete nest failure. The Foundation funded the Point Reyes Bird Observatory's construction of raised boardwalks and nesting boxes to protect and improve nesting conditions for the Auklets.

Trimble Tablet Computer for the Oregon 2020 project

The Farallon Islands Foundation donated a Trimble Tablet Computer to the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife at Oregon State University to collect data for a statewide inventory of birds that will be called The Oregon 2020 project.

2008

Health clinic on Flores Island, Benteng Dewa (2008 and 2010)

With the support of the Farallon Islands Foundation, Seacology funded a community health clinic in support of 14,826 acres of forest (including about 618 acres of savannah) as a strict no-take zone for a minimum of 10 years.

Nesting Boxes & Boardwalks on Año Nuevo Island (2008 and 2009)

The Rhinoceros Auklet (Cerorhinca monocerata) is a small seabird that nests in burrows on several islands including Año Nuevo Island in California. The virtual denuding of island vegetation caused collapse of the birds’ burrows and almost complete nest failure. The Foundation funded the Point Reyes Bird Observatory's construction of raised boardwalks and nesting boxes to protect and improve nesting conditions for the Auklets.

2007

Habitat restoration on San Ignacio and San Pedro Martir Islands

Continuing our support of Island Conservation, FIF helped fund the eradication of invasive rat species on two of the most important islands for seabirds in Mexico’s Gulf of California.

2005

Filmakers Collaborative

The Foundation funded the filming of two island restoration projects.

2003

Research Facility Improvements on Año Nuevo Island

The Foundation funded the roofing repair and painting on the island's research station building.

2002

Research on the Tres Marias and Revillagigedos Islands

This contribution to Island Conservation consisted of transporting researchers and their equipment to these difficult to reach islands off the west coast of Mexico.

2000

Gray Water Tank on Southeast Farallon Island

To increase the self-sufficiency of the scientists on the islands, FIF purchased, transported and installed a gray water tank to collect rainwater from roof gutters on the two buildings.

Nesting Boxes for Auklets on the Farallon Islands

This grant provided funding for the construction and delivery of nesting boxes for the Farallon population of Cassin's auklets.

Scrap and Trash Cleanup on Southeast Farallon Island

The Farallon Islands Foundation made a grant to help with a project to clean and remove trash and demolition waste on SE Farallon Island.

GPS System for use on Año Nuevo and the Farallon Islands

The Farallon Islands Foundation made a grant to the Point Reyes Bird Observatory to purchase a Global Positioning System (GPS), as well as an instrument training program for four PRBO researchers.

Habitat Restoration on San Jorge Island

The San Jorge Islands are in the northern part of the Sea of Cortez in Mexico. They consist of three islands each infested by Black Rats (Rattus rattus) which prey on seabird eggs and nestlings. In addition to ridding the island of rats and restoring bird populations, this project was scientifically important for its comparison of three different rodenticides.

1999

Window Retrofit on Southeast Farallon Research Station

To increase energy efficiency (and hence sustainability) of buildings and utilities on the islands, Farallon Islands Foundation purchased, transported and installed energy efficient windows for the two buildings used by scientists on the Farallon Islands.

Boardwalk Replacement on Southeast Farallon Island

Boardwalks are needed to protect nest burrows of several species of seabirds. The old boardwalks no longer provided that protection and were also hazardous to human users. Boardwalks were replaced with more durable recycled plastic lumber.

The Island Inventory

Nearly 250 named islands on the west coast of the United States from Canada to Mexico were photographed from four compass points; aerial and satellite photographs were collected from other sources, and details of area, location and ownership were documented.