Brownsea Island Treasury to pay her death duties. Concerned the island could be sold to commercial developers, a campaign was started by local conservationist, Helen Brotherton, with the aim of purchasing the island to protect its natural habitats. The National Trust subsequently agreed to take over responsibility for the island if enough funds were raised and in 1962 its purchased Brownsea for £100,000. Work was carried out to prepare the island for visitors; tracks were cleared through areas overgrown with rhododendrons and firebreaks were created to prevent repetition of the 1934 fire. The Dorset Wildlife Trust leased a nature reserve on the
Coney Island, County Down Coney Island, County Down Coney Island is a small seaside hamlet and townland of 48 acres in County Down, Northern Ireland, between the villages of Ardglass and Killough. It is situated in the civil parish of Ardglass and the historic barony of Lecale Lower. There is a small caravan park at Coney Island. It is not actually an island but includes a narrow peninsula which may at one time have been cut off by the sea. The name of the townland is recorded as "Conningsiland" in 1635, as "Cony Is" in 1640 and as "Conny-Island" in 1669. "Coney" or "Cony"