The problems surrounding conservation on the island of Lundy (off the coast of Devon) in the Covid-19 pandemic are typical of those seen in many other natural history locations of the UK (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/aug/04/lockdown-puts-wildlife-conservation-on-devon-lundy-island-at-risk-coronavirus). The basic problem is that conservation is labour intensive and costs money. That money mainly comes from visitors who were prevented from coming to the island on its supply boat in the lockdown. Even now, with some visiting allowed, distancing requirements greatly reduce the numbers of paying participants. The island is currently home to substantial breeding populations of Puffins and Manx shearwaters. These species will be endangered without conservation efforts to remove rats (that can attack the ground-nesting birds and their eggs). It is also the place to find the unique Lundy cabbage, relying on the use of specialist climbers to clear areas of the rocky cliff faces. Like many other UK locations (Brownsea island and Snowdonia), Lundy also has a serious problem with alien Rhododendron (imported by Victorian gardeners) whose cover eliminates resident plants, has no natural browsers and is expensive and difficult to remove. Even if you are not paying them very much, you need volunteers, prepared to live in relatively crowded conditions to continuously undertake the work (often at times outside the visitor season).
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