A Visitor's Guide to the Falkland Islands (2nd Edition)
By Debbie Summers; spiral bound, paper,130 pp.

This comprehensive guide covers the 20 landing sites or islands that welcome visitors. These range from Stanley, the capital, which these days is home to some 80 percent of the population of around 2,500, to places like West Point and Barren islands, with populations of 2 and 4 respectively! In each case there is a general description of the site, with historical information, a good map, and details of the geology, vegetation, and wildlife.

The Falkland Islands have a remarkable range of wildlife - for example, the world's largest populations of rockhopper and gentoo penguins, as well as black-browed albatrosses and southern giant petrels. There are many other seabirds, shore, and land birds, to entice the birdwatcher, and breeding populations of dolphins and three species of seal. There are no native trees, but there are 171 species of flowering plants, of which 13 are endemic.

The majority of the sites are only visited by cruise ships, but there are several that have comfortable accommodations and can also be reached by light plane. Conservation is a topic highlighted throughout this book, which was published in partnership with the Falklands Conservation organisation.

There is much to see, whether it's the 113,000 pairs of black-browed albatrosses (the world's largest colony) stretching for three miles along the seashore of uninhabited Steeple Island, or the excellent historical museum in Stanley.

Debbie Summers was born in Stanley and gained a degree in tourism management at Leeds University in the UK. She has worked in various posts related to tourism and wildlife in the islands. Her book is copiously illustrated with her own and other people's photographs.

Someone planning a visit to the Falkland Islands in the near future is in luck with the publication of the 2nd edition of Debbie Summers' "A Visitor's Guide to the Falkland Islands" from Falklands Conservation, 2005. First published in 2001, this handy spiral-bound book by a native Falkland Islander fits easily into your jacket or the pocket of a ruck-sack. It is also chock-full of maps, history, photographs and information about the islands. Each site covered in the guide has a box listing features, a detailed map and useful pointers to keep in mind when visiting. There are also sections by Tony Chater on photography and expedition leader Allan White. A glossary of terms and acronyms is included in the back, as well as useful addresses and a check-list of the fauna and flora mentioned in the text, all of which adds up to an excellent "hands-on" guide to bring when you visit these remarkable islands.