Following the successful launch this year of the new Strategy for Nature Fund, twelve local Guernsey environment projects have been awarded funding.
The Fund and was established in recognition that the Strategy for Nature is not simply a government document but is a framework for the whole community. As such, the Fund aims to offer financial support for environmental initiatives which further the goals and objectives of the Strategy for Nature.
In September, individuals, educational facilities and charity organisations wishing to engage in projects that benefit the environment and local community were invited to submitted applications for funding.
A total of £39,890 has now been donated through the Fund in the form of grants to a total of twelve projects to be carried out locally.
Demonstrating the value of introducing the Fund, it was oversubscribed with projects aiming to improve our natural environment. All applications were assessed against the Fund criteria and scored on their merits, with those scoring highest receiving funding. The projects awarded are as follows:
- Eelgrass impact assessment – Bailiwick Eelgrass Exploration Project
- Removal of sour fig in Guernsey – Guernsey Conservation Volunteers
- Grow Guernsey Natives – La Société Guernesiaise
- Identification and recording of Guernsey’s small but vital invertebrate wildlife – La Société Guernesiaise
- Enrich the biodiversity of the churchyard – The Parish Church of St Marguerite de la Forest
- Pesticide audit – Pollinator Project LBG
- Equipment for nature education – La Société Guernesiaise
- Upskilling bat specialists in Guernsey – La Société Guernesiaise
- Lihou pollinator project – The Lihou Charitable Trust
- Pesticide communication and education plan – Pollinator Project LBG
- Assessment of dolphin populations around Guernsey – Master’s Degree Student (University of Exeter and Jersey International Centre of Advanced Studies)
- Assessment of bats in Guernsey, targeting questions raised by the Bailiwick Bat Survey – Master’s Degree Student (University of Exeter and Jersey International Centre of Advanced Studies)
Andy McCutcheon, Principal Environment Officer for Agriculture, Countryside & Land Management Services, said: “We’re extremely encouraged by the response to this new Fund and the quality of the projects that were submitted to us. The care the community has for nature locally is inspiring and we can’t wait to see the results of these projects.
“The knowledge acquired through these projects will directly affect our ability to make informed choices about how we protect and enhance our natural environment. Coupled with the projects which focus on improving our island’s biodiversity, community education and removal of invasive species, this has made for a very successful launch indeed.”
More information about the Strategy for Nature and the Fund can be found here.
