The Jersey National Park has launched a new campaign, The Black Sheep, to protect access, promote respect, and highlight the shared responsibility of everyone who enjoys the Island’s countryside.
Across more than 50 miles of trails, the Park’s paths link coast, countryside, and protected sites. Yet most of these routes cross private land, opened through the goodwill of landowners. Every step taken in the Park is a privilege, not a right, and that privilege depends on respect.
The campaign reminds visitors that careless acts, from straying off marked paths to leaving litter behind, can damage crops, disturb wildlife, and erode trust between landowners, farmers and the public.
Developed by the Jersey National Park in partnership with the Jersey Access Service Providers (JASP) group – including the Government of Jersey, the National Trust for Jersey and the Jersey Farmers Union – the campaign delivers key messages through print and digital media. The series will roll out over the coming weeks, focusing on three key themes:
- Paths – Follow the flock. ‘Stray from the path, and you’re a lost sheep’: Each path tells a story of co-operation between landowners and the public. Straying from marked routes can intrude on privacy, disturb wildlife, or damage crops. Staying on the right path helps keep them open for everyone.
- Sensitive Areas – Leaps and bounds. ‘A gate is a boundary, not a challenge’: Respecting boundaries protects farmland and fragile habitats. Closed gates and clear signs exist for good reason, to allow nature and agriculture to be protected undisturbed. Stay to the right routes, and leave gates as you find them.
- Litter – A wolf in sheep’s clothing. ‘Don’t dress it up or hide it, it’s still rubbish’: Littering, from fly-tipping to abandoned dog waste, harms wildlife and spoils the landscape. Even a neatly tied bag left behind is plastic-wrapped pollution that can linger for years. Leave no trace, and take your litter home.
Each message carries a clear reminder that access is a privilege, not a right and that respect is the key that keeps Jersey’s wildest places open.
Jim Hopley, MBE, Chair of the Jersey National Park, said: “Our access to Jersey’s most beautiful landscapes is founded on trust and co-operation. This campaign is about safeguarding that relationship. One careless act can spoil it for everyone, but a culture of respect ensures these spaces remain open, safe, and thriving for all.
“By staying on the right paths, respecting signs, and taking litter home, we all play a part in protecting the Park’s landscapes.”
Julia Clively, Environment Manager, Access, Government of Jersey, said: “Many of the routes we enjoy are open through the goodwill of landowners, and it’s important that visitors understand this relationship. It’s about shared responsibility.
“By following the guidance set out in this campaign, we not only reduce conflict and damage, we can protect trust and ensure these paths remain open for everyone to enjoy.”
Dougie Richardson, President of the Jersey Farmers Union, said: “Farming and public access can and do work well together when people follow simple rules. The Black Sheep campaign is a timely reminder that Jersey’s countryside is both a working environment and a shared space, one that needs care from everyone who uses it.”
Main image credit: Bam Perspectives
