Octavia Pollock goes wildlife-spotting around Jersey and its neighbouring archipelagos
For a small island, Jersey punches well above its weight in the wildlife stakes. In the past few years, it’s honed its conservation credentials to become a haven for birds and other animals, but the past wasn’t always so rosy.
In 2009, with developers threatening the sensitive coastal area of Portelet Bay, 7,000 islanders literally drew a line in the sand, forming a human chain from Le Braye to L’Etacq. Their peaceful refusal to give up the natural beauty of their home led to the formation of the Jersey National Park, which now covers nearly 5,500 acres, about 16% of the island.
‘Despite a modest land mass of some 48 square miles and a rising population, much of Jersey’s natural landscape remains “open for business” as far as wildlife is concerned,’ says veteran environmentalist Mike Stentiford, former president of the National Trust for Jersey (NTJ). He cites the island’s coastal landscapes, reedthronged wetlands and wooded valleys as prime wildlife-spotting grounds, with all benefitting from predator control.
‘Animals such as foxes, badgers, deer and stoats are all refused residential permits,’ he explains, ‘which means red squirrels and an indigenous charmer known as the Jersey bank vole can flourish.’
Denne historien er fra July 10, 2019-utgaven av Country Life UK.
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Denne historien er fra July 10, 2019-utgaven av Country Life UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Kitchen garden cook - Apples
'Sweet and crisp, apples are the epitome of autumn flavour'
The original Mr Rochester
Three classic houses in North Yorkshire have come to the market; the owner of one inspired Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre
Get it write
Desks, once akin to instruments of torture for scribes, have become cherished repositories of memories and secrets. Matthew Dennison charts their evolution
'Sloes hath ben my food'
A possible paint for the Picts and a definite culprit in tea fraud, the cheek-suckingly sour sloe's spiritual home is indisputably in gin, says John Wright
Souvenirs of greatness
FOR many years, some large boxes have been stored and forgotten in the dark recesses of the garage. Unpacked last week, the contents turned out to be pots: some, perhaps, nearing a century old—dense terracotta, of interesting provenance.
Plants for plants' sake
The garden at Hergest Croft, Herefordshire The home of Edward Banks The Banks family is synonymous with an extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, many of which are presents from distinguished friends, garnered over two centuries. Be prepared to be amazed, says Charles Quest-Ritson
Capturing the castle
Seventy years after Christian Dior’s last fashion show in Scotland, the brand returned under creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri for a celebratory event honouring local craftsmanship, the beauty of the land and the Auld Alliance, explains Kim Parker
Nature's own cathedral
Our tallest native tree 'most lovely of all', the stately beech creates a shaded environment that few plants can survive. John Lewis-Stempel ventures into the enchanted woods
All that money could buy
A new book explores the lost riches of London's grand houses. Its author, Steven Brindle, looks at the residences of plutocrats built by the nouveaux riches of the late-Victorian and Edwardian ages
In with the old
Diamonds are meant to sparkle in candlelight, but many now gather dust in jewellery boxes. To wear them today, we may need to reimagine them, as Hetty Lintell discovers with her grandmother's jewellery
