Basic and mixed volcanic activity brought the Trindade (20°30' S, 29°49' W) and Martin Vaz archipelago to the surface from the Atlantic abyss three million years ago. It is the eroded top of a big volcanic mountain that is part of an alignment of volcanic submarine mountains. The ocean floor is approximately 5,500 m deep. The relief is extremely irregular for an island area of 13.5 km², where three peaks as high as 600 m stand out.

The climate is tropical oceanic, with an annual mean temperature of 25°C (77°F), March being the warmest month of the year and June the coolest. Daily rain showers, locally called pirajá, usually last for only five minutes. From April to October seasonal cold air masses from the South Pole invade the island.

Island beaches vary in grain, texture and sediment color. Geocarcinus lagostoma land crabs are abundant and observed throughout the island, from the beaches to "Pico do Desejado", the highest point (620 m). From observations made to date, it is certain that the island of Trindade is the main nesting ground for the green sea turtle, Chelonia mydas, in all of Brazil. The island receives some 1,800 nests per year on 3 km of sandy beach. Local flora is marked by the presence of Cyathea coelandii, an endemic arboreal fern that reaches 6 m in height.

Humans Arrive; Good-bye Nature

A forest covered 85% of Trindade up to the mid 1700s, when 130 families from the Azores settled the island. The organic soils that had accumulated thru the forest development were suddenly submitted to grazing herds of goats, sheep and pigs and succumbed to a rapid degradation that left behind erosive gulleys up to 6 meters deep. The reduction of the soil layer considerably diminished the available water table reserves, becoming a menace to the sustainability of the oceanographic post that the Navy keeps on the island. Some of the endemic plant and animal species are considered extinct.

Despite extensive searches, at least 21 plant and 15 animal species previously registered on Trindade have not been found again since 1965. The present soils no longer permit the reintroduction of several tree species that grew there. Even weeds have serious difficulty in surviving, being almost restricted to the garden, where fertilizer is used. Though most serious destruction took place in the terrestrial parts of the island, the fish populations have dwindled as well. Decades ago fishing was excellent near the living quarters, but now one must cross the whole island, a several-hour long hike, to the other side in order to obtain comparable results. Solving this problem depends upon a joint effort of the military that run the island, biologists, agro foresters, and soil specialists. The management plan under development represents a preliminary version submitted to the professionals involved with the island's recovery.

History

João de Nova, a Spanish navigator working for Portugal, who departed from Lisbon in 1501, discovered Trindade. He named it Assunção, but in the following year, Trindade by Estevão da Gama replaced it, during a visit to the island. In 1700 Edmond Halley, the famous English astronomer, judging to have discovered a new island, occupied it in the name of England. The Portuguese settled there in 1756, but the British Army returned there in 1781, abandoning it soon afterwards. The Portuguese tried to fortificate and colonize it by açoreans, but without success.

During the two World Wars, Trindade received military expeditions. In 1924, it became a political prison. In 1957, the Brazilian Navy established the Oceanographic Station of the Trindade Island (POIT), and since then expeditions have frequently been there, to undertake meteorological observations and try to reforest it.

The British Occupation

Throughout a history of five centuries, since its was discovered, the island became uninhabited by long periods, allowing some foreign invasions. In January 1895, relations with the English were affected by an incident caused by the British government's decision to occupy Trindade Island. Brazil's reaction was negative due to the strategic value of the island. In July of the same year, the Prudente de Morais government protested, demanding the British immediately withdraw. The first response from Great Britain was to submit the matter to arbitration, a solution rejected by Brazil.

Mediation by the Portuguese government, who offered its good offices to overcome the controversy, was decisive. Through its Minister of Foreign Relations, Counselor Luis Soveral, and the Chargé d'Affaires Francisco Lampreia, Portugal confirmed the legitimacy of Brazilian rights over the island. The British government reviewed its position and abandoned the idea of sovereignty over this small insular territory.

Today

Today the archipelago is administrated and controlled by the Brazilian Navy, which maintain in Trindade Island (the bigger of archipelago) the POIT, Trindade Island Oceanographic Station, having the purpose of mark the presence of the Brazilian State and develop ecological preservation with the IBAMA (The Brazilian Environment Institute) and with the TAMAR Project (Marine Turtles Preservation Institute). As well as, the marines that stay in the island (on an average of 32 marines and officials) operate a meteorological station.

The marines stay at the island for four-month periods, without physical contact with the continent until a new group substitutes them. The First Naval Command of Rio De Janeiro does this work.

The island is accessible just by Brazilian Navy ships. The journey can take two to three days and the landing is only possible by helicopter. The ship remains anchored near Trindade for two to three days, period of hard work for the marines. They replace the land group and the POIT installation is supplied with sustenance food, combustible and all kind of provisions necessary for their work.

Due to its distance to the mainland coast and with difficult access exclusively from the sea, Trindade offers no conditions for tourism activities, but it is a special place for scientific investigations.