The Nature Conservancy Announces Intent to Purchase PalmyraArlington, VA -- In what will be one of its most important land acquisitions to date, The Nature Conservancy today announced its intention to purchase Palmyra Atoll, the last intact marine wilderness in the U.S. tropics. The atoll*, located 1,052 miles south of Hawaii, consists of 680 acres of land and 15,512 acres of pristine coral reefs, emerald islets and turquoise lagoons. Palmyra is the only nesting habitat for migratory seabirds and shorebirds within 450,000 square miles of ocean.
"In mid-March the Conservancy announced it would commit $1 billion through its Campaign for Conservation to protect critical natural areas in the U.S. and abroad," said John C. Sawhill, president and CEO of the Conservancy. "The acquisition of Palmyra is an early down payment on that commitment. In fact, the acquisition of Palmyra is one of the most important land deals ever undertaken by The Nature Conservancy. As the only privately owned U.S. possession, Palmyra represents the last remaining opportunity to protect an undeveloped, uninhabited, pristine tropical marine ecosystem in the U.S. tropics."
Palmyra Atoll was named one of the world's "Last Great Places" by the Conservancy and is one of the organization's top land acquisition priorities.
Acquisition of the atoll by the Conservancy is being made possible by the generosity of Palmyra's current owners, the Fullard-Leo family of Hawaii. To ensure the atoll's preservation, the family has signed a purchase agreement with the Conservancy to sell Palmyra for considerably less than its $47 million asking price. The Conservancy will have until the first quarter of 2001 to raise the money to purchase and close on the property.
Before agreeing to sell the atoll to the Conservancy, the Fullard-Leo family received a number of offers for commercial developments at Palmyra, including a repository for spent nuclear fuel and a major resort and casino development.
"It's the kind of place time forgot," the Fullard-Leo family said in a statement. "We protected Palmyra's wildlife and natural habitat for nearly 80 years. It gives one a sense of well-being. The time has come to pass on that responsibility."
"This is a bold act of conservation leadership," said Sawhill. "The Fullard-Leos have been good stewards of Palmyra. By entrusting this Last Great Place to The Nature Conservancy, they have created a legacy that will benefit people and wildlife for generations."
"Palmyra is a jewel of America's Pacific coral reefs" said Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt. "It should be protected from exploitation and be a place where future generations can for all time marvel at the pristine natural wonders of the nation's tropical seas."
The atoll has a long and colorful history. Stories of pirates, curses, buried treasure, and early American sea captains make up Palmyra's history. In recent times, Palmyra played prominently in a U.S. government plan to store spent nuclear fuel for a foreign government, as well as in a murder case -- the subject of a 1991 novel by Vincent Bugliosi, and a 1991 TV movie, both entitled And the Sea Will Tell. In addition, the atoll was the subject of a Supreme Court battle over ownership rights and was used as a naval airbase and refueling station during World War II.
Palmyra is located 1,052 miles due south of Honolulu, Hawaii, and is situated about five degrees north of the equator. Thanks to its geographic location, Palmyra provides habitat for more than a million nesting seabirds and a remarkably diverse assortment of coral and marine species. Species from both the eastern and western Pacific meet in the waters around Palmyra, including a diverse assortment of coral. The atoll's reefs support three times the number of coral species found in Hawaii and the Caribbean, and five times the number of species found in the Florida Keys.
Other marine species found around Palmyra include pilot whales, bottle-nosed dolphins, hawksbill turtles, black-tip sharks, tiger sharks, manta rays and giant clams. The globally threatened green sea turtle nests on Palmyra's white sand beaches. The atoll also is home to the world's largest land-based invertebrate, the coconut crab, so-named because of its ability to crack open a coconut with its huge claws.
Palmyra is situated in an area known as the intertropical convergence zone, where trade winds from the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere meet, just above the equator. As the winds meet, they create a phenomenon called the doldrums: light winds and lots of rain. As a result, Palmyra receives 175 inches of rain a year and is covered with lush tropical vegetation, including a large stand of Pisonia grandis, a rare tropical forest type found only on wet atolls.
The vegetation provides forage and shelter for thick flocks of birds. Resident species include the world's second largest colony of red footed boobies, second only to the Galapagos Islands; brown boobies and masked boobies; white terns and sooty terns.
Palmyra also provides a solitary and vital rest stop for migratory bird species, such as the bristle-thighed curlew. The curlew, which is listed as a species of concern, migrates from Alaska to French Polynesia and other areas in the Southern Pacific. Some 4,000 miles from Alaska, Palmyra is the first place the bird rests on its journey. Only 6,000 of these birds are thought to exist. Several hundred curlews spend the winter on Palmyra.
Palmyra's pristine lands and waters and abundant wildlife make the atoll a world-class destination for individuals interested in nature photography, birdwatching and catch-and-release sportfishing. For the few snorklers and scuba divers who have seen it, Palmyra ranks as one of the world's most spectacular coral gardens. The crystal-clear waters of Palmyra teem with hundreds of fish species and more than 130 species of hard corals.
In addition to raising the money to cover the costs of acquiring Palmyra, the Conservancy will begin immediately working to produce a management plan for the atoll. Priorities for the atoll include protection and enhancement of wildlife habitat and determining how best to manage public access to the atoll.
* An atoll is a ring-like coral island enclosing a lagoon. Palmyra's emergent land was formed by coral growth on the rim of an ancient volcano.