Sustainability Policy
Falkland Islands Holidays recognises its responsibility to respect the environment and is committed to achieve environmental best practice as a team, where practically possible throughout its business activities.
One of the greatest assets that the Falklands Islands has, is its environment, which is pure and unpolluted. Together with its extraordinary and spectacular wildlife, the Islands offer one of the cleanest, unspoilt wildernesses left on the earth.
The Falklands do not suffer from the common side effects of “overtourism” with less than 2,000* land-based tourists a year – *Source Falkland Islands Tourist Board Tourism Statistics Report 2019. There are very few purposely built tourist attractions, the attraction of the Falklands is its remote natural beauty where the wildlife can be watched without being endangered.
The biggest effect on the environment is travelling to the Falklands with a long-haul journey for most. The majority of our clients are land-based travellers with a minimum visit of a week, our recommendation would be to visit for two weeks or longer or combine a trip with a cruise or visit to South America or Antarctica, to lessen the environmental impact.
We value the importance to conserve and protect natural resources, to minimise wastage of raw materials and energy, whilst providing a consistent, quality product and service to our guests.
Our clients are made aware of our sustainability policy with the hope that this encourages visitors to help us achieve our goals collaboratively.
We ensure our team of staff are aware, involved and encouraged to be proactive in wanting to work towards and improve upon our environmental policies.
Most accommodation outside of Stanley located in Camp* (* a term used for anywhere outside Stanley) is generally off grid and uses wind and solar as ways to generate power.
Tour guides are all local, living in the Falklands, chosen for their experience, knowledge and reputation for protecting and respecting the wildlife, farm animals and the environment.
We work hard alongside our partners within the Falklands to ensure all our trips are free from damaging practices. One such method is through the promotion and following of the Falklands Countryside Code thus proactively contributing to the conservation of the islands’ precious and unique landscapes we love to explore.
Using local supplies wherever possible.
Only working with small groups and individual travel.
1. Wind Power and Solar Panels
Most camp accommodation have their own wind turbine and or solar panels to reduce their reliance upon fossil fuels; in turn this also reduces the carbon footprint of transporting resources to these remote locations. This is backed up by a generator and battery pack to enable provision of sufficient power to the accommodation offering.
2. Water
Within the settlements Camp accommodations have their own well or water supply. Water has to be used carefully and is therefore responsibly managed.
Some lodges such as Darwin House have also fitted a brown water tank fed by rain water which supplies the toilets within the lodge with water. Various tanks and containers are located around the settlement to catch rain water to water plants and vegetables and supply the farm animals.
Sewage
Most people give very little thought to waste water once it has left their home or business. With a little more care and thought about how we dispose of our waste, we can greatly improve the effectiveness of our drainage/sewer systems and the environment.
Most Camp accommodation sewage systems are not designed to cope with modern disposable products such as nappies and cotton buds, feminine products, flushable wet wipes and as a result these items can cause blockages and flooding. Toilet tissue is the only product that can be flushed away when using the toilet.
3. Local Produce
The islanders pride themselves in serving locally produced foods including home-made cakes and biscuits for the traditional “smoko”.
Local seafood includes local sea trout and Atlantic Rock Cod (locally called mullet, King Clip, Tooth fish and Grenadier.
The Falklands are renowned for the quality of the lamb, mutton and beef all of which is ranched on the wide plains of the Islands.
Camp Accommodation benefits from home grown vegetables and salads (when seasonably available).
They also have their own chickens which provide freshly laid eggs; the chickens also help to recycle a good proportion of food waste.
4. No light Pollution
There is no pollution; we enjoy clean, fresh air with the light’s clarity giving the landscape deep, vibrant colours, the sky appears to be an endless combination of blues, white and clouds, attracting photographers and star gazers alike.
5. Bio security
The Falkland Islands are currently relatively free of many major pests and diseases. Therefore, import certificates are required for produce of animal and plant origin.
Visitors are respectfully asked not to bring risk category foods into the Islands. Risk foods include meat and poultry products, unpasteurised dairy products, eggs, seeds, grains, uncooked vegetables and some fruits.
Before you pack:
Clean footwear and equipment using a scrubbing brush and water to remove soil, seeds, faeces, animal fur/ wool and other contaminants.
Check footwear and equipment after cleaning to make sure it is free from seeds and contaminates; especially in Velcro, fastenings and treads.
6. Small is beautiful
Transport in general is for limited numbers only; being by minibus, by 4×4 vehicles (all off road experiences) or by using the Falkland Islands Government Air Service (FIGAS) which operates a fleet of Britten Norman Islander aircraft that only seat up to 8 passengers, allowing you to island hop. The Lodge accommodation on average only has 6 guest bedrooms. This limits the number of tourists that can visit any one wildlife destination at a time, reducing the impact on the wildlife and enhancing the experience for the traveller. Once within the settlement the method of transport is on foot, with a drop off service for spots that are further away.
7. Resourcefulness
Due to remoteness and logistics, the Falkland Islanders as a nation are very resourceful, and always find ways around fixing a problem. The disposable society of other countries does not feature here and islanders try to repair or recycle things instead of buying new.
You might find an example of this, is a car door that has been taken off another vehicle and does not exactly match the colour of the other three. You may find our vehicles to be older than you are used to; windscreen chips/cracks are common from the main gravel roads.
We feel more travellers are interested in responsible and sustainable tourism and knowing they too make an imprint by visiting new locations. The Falkland Islanders certainly are conscious of their natural environment and the utmost importance of protecting it. Nonetheless, they wish to allow fellow folk to enjoy what the islands have to offer whilst ensuring there are mitigations in place to limit the impact of visitors.
8. Falklands Conservation www.falklandsconservation.com
Now in operation for over 30 years, as a charity they work with land owners and the government to restore habitats by replanting tussac grass and eradicating rats; provide nature reserves as protected sanctuaries; undertake research and survey seabird populations; lobby for effective environmental protection; rescue oiled seabirds; publish wildlife guides; they also run a wildlife club for young Islanders, along with publishing full resources about the islands. Please consider joining this worthwhile organisation and/or adopting a Penguin (see their website for further details).
Falkland Islands Holidays is proud to be a sponsor of Falklands Conservation
Visitor contribution
Countryside Code
Please follow the countryside code and be respectful to our natural environment, wildlife, farm animals, plants and flowers.
To follow the Falkland Islands Government Countryside Code
- Always ask permission before entering private land.
- Keep to paths wherever possible. Leave gates open or shut as you find them.
- Be aware of the high fire risk throughout the Islands. Be extremely careful when smoking not to start fires. Take cigarette butts away with you.
- Do not drop litter. Take your rubbish home with you.
- Do not disfigure rocks or buildings.
- Do not touch, handle, injure or kill any wild bird or other wild animal.
- Never feed any wild animals.
- Always give animals the right of way. Remember not to block the routes of seabirds and seals coming ashore to their colonies.
- Try to prevent any undue disturbance to wild animals. Stay on the outside of bird and seal colonies. Remain at least 6 m (20 ft) away. When taking photographs or filming stay low to the ground. Move slowly and quietly. Do not startle or chase wildlife from resting or breeding areas.
- Some plants are protected and should not be picked. Wildflowers are there for all to enjoy.
- Whalebones, skulls, eggs or other such items may not be exported from the Falkland Islands. They should be left where they are found.
Electricity and water
We ask you to be as resourceful as you can and urge you not to be wasteful.
- Please do not leave taps running unnecessarily
- We request for equipment not to be left on standby or prolonged charging
- To turn down the heating before opening the windows
- Please do not leave your bedroom lights on when you are not using the room
- Please do not dispose of anything other than tissue paper down the toilet.
- If you are the last to go to bed, please switch off any lights in main guest areas
- Restaurant guests are welcome to take home any leftovers, therefore reducing waste
Smoking
Most camp locations are strictly non-smoking to prevent landscape damage and ensure visitor safety. Please ask your host regarding a particular accommodation’s smoking policies.
Travelling Tips
- Book the most direct route possible. Most flight carbon emissions are emitted during take-off and landing. Try to go for as long as possible. If taking a non-direct route allow for time to be spent visiting the countries, you land in.
- Pack light, remove and recycle excess packaging before you pack your suitcase to avoid simply throwing it in the bin while on holiday.
- Most accommodation offerings outside of Stanley are small homely lodges that are off grid relying on solar and wind power. Take care with using electricity and water, by not wasting it.
- Support eco-friendly initiatives during your stay, such as reusing towels and turning off the lights when you’re not in the room.
- We also recommend taking a reusable water bottle to reduce plastic waste.
- If buying souvenirs choose locally-made, rather than mass-produced items that have been imported.
- Eat local produce, such as lamb, squid, local fish (e.g. Trout, Kingclip, Toothfish, Grenadier, Hake) and choose local drinks (e.g. Falkland Beerworks, Darwin Botanicals)
- Return maps, brochures, and other tourist information once you’re finished with them so that they may be reused by future travellers
- Offset your flight emissions. The largest human source of carbon dioxide emissions is from the combustion of fossil fuels related to your holiday (this will be your international flights).
Carbon offsetting means compensating for the carbon-dioxide pollution you’re making (your carbon footprint) by preventing the same amount of pollution from happening somewhere else.
You could offset your carbon dioxide emissions (also called greenhouse emissions, or greenhouse-gas emissions) by doing environmental good work yourself. For example, you could plant some trees on land you own, or volunteer for conservation work near to where you live. Another way is to offset more indirectly by making a donation to campaigning work with an environmental organisation or charity, who will finance beneficial environmental work on your behalf.