The British Government, through the BIOT (British Indian Ocean Territory) Administration, is committed to conserving the environment of the Chagos Archipelago.  But there also needs to be a way for members of the public to engage with this remarkable treasure chest of maritime nature.

The Trust aims to:

• §           monitor the health of the marine and terrestrial environment;
• §           provide a channel for bringing relevant environmental problems to the Government's attention;
• §           establish links with other groups concerned with reef ecology, particularly in relation to the Indian Ocean;
• §           encourage research into the history of the Chagos Archipelago;  and
• §           educate, and make available the results of its work to a wider audience.IIt fulfils these, for example, by promoting scientific expeditions (mounting large scientific expeditions in 1996 and 2006, and smaller ones in the intervening years).