Palmyra Atoll
A Center for Scientific Study
Located a 1,000 miles south of Hawai'i, Palmyra Atoll is one of the most spectacular marine wilderness areas on Earth. The Nature Conservancy bought Palmyra in 2000 from the Fullard-Leo family, who had previously turned down offers to have the atoll used as a nuclear waste site and a casino.
Today, Palmyra is a national marine monument and the Conservancy and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service are partnering to protect it. Through the Palmyra Atoll Research Consortium, it is also being developed as a center for scientific study. What we can learn at Palmyra—about global climate change, coral reefs, marine restoration and invasive species—promises to inform conservation strategies for island ecosystems throughout the Pacific and around the world.
Latest News & Features
Restoring Palmyra's Rainforest
The Conservancy plans to replant Palmyra's native Pisonia tree and reestablish its rainforest.
How Many Sharks are Enough?
An eight-year shark tagging project establishes a baseline for what constitutes a healthy population.
Miracle on Palmyra
Four years after all rats were eradicated at Palmyra, atoll wildlife is rebounding.
Latest Photos
Atoll -- Images of Palmyra
Photographer Andrew Wright focuses his lens on Palmyra’s fantastic terrestrial and marine wildlife.
Removing Shipwrecks, Restoring Coral Reefs
See how three shipwrecks were removed from Palmyra Atoll and Kingman Reef without harming the marine ecosystem.
Latest Videos
Journey to Palmyra
NBC TV visits Palmyra Atoll and discovers a place that is as close to paradise as any place left on Earth.
Why Palmyra?
Find out why this remote Pacific Atoll is so important to conservation and science.
