Earlier this month, a dedicated team of eight at Julius Baer Guernsey volunteered with Société Guernesiaise, assisting in three-day restoration project at La Garenne d’Anneville, a nature reserve in St Sampsons.
The initiative aimed to rejuvenate the site, making it a more welcoming and peaceful environment for locals and visitors while preserving its natural flora and fauna.
Over the course of the project, volunteers undertook various tasks, including removing saplings, restoring pathways, and cutting back overgrown greenery such as willow and gorse. A major focus was on ‘bleeding’ well-established bracken and new shoots, a process that enriches the soil, encouraging new and diverse plant growth. Their efforts also reclaimed new areas and freed trees from overgrowth, enhancing the reserve’s biodiversity.
Prior to the volunteering days, Julius Baer Guernsey organised a Lunch-and-Learn session with Société Guernesiaise to educate employees about the organisation’s history and ongoing projects.
Siobhan Pattimore, Chairperson of the CSR Committee, said: “Our team’s participation not only helped preserve a vital part of Guernsey’s natural heritage but also provided an excellent opportunity for our colleagues to bond and contribute positively to the community. The dedication and spirit shown by our volunteers have been truly inspiring, with one particularly devoted employee opting to use all three allocated volunteering days plus a personal holiday to contribute fully to the project.”
Trevor Bourgaize, President of La Société Guernesiaise, was grateful for Julius Baer’s commitment to wanting to make Guernsey a greener, better place. He said: “Their hard work in cutting back overgrown vegetation will enable less vigorous plants to thrive, enhancing the area’s biodiversity. Notably, this reserve is the only location on the island where Purple Moor Grass grows. We since had reports of hedgehogs and butterflies, including the scarce Large Tortoiseshell, which is a testament to the positive impact of their efforts. We’re grateful for their dedication and look forward to continuing this important work together.”
Pictured: Left to right – Mark Tostevin, Alison Le Page, Derek Beatty and Steve Knight
