OVERWHELMING public support has been expressed for a fence to create a seabird reserve at Plémont, according to the Birds on the Edge partnership.
Almost 92% of 1,127 respondents to an online survey expressed their support for the fence, a sample section of which was erected on the north coast, during a period of public consultation in the summer.
The Birds On The Edge partnership – a joint initiative between the National Trust for Jersey, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust and the government’s Natural Environment team – want to use the fence to create the first predator-free reserve of its kind in Europe. The project aims to restore coastal habitats by protecting native wildlife from the effects of introduced predators.
During the public consultation, the partnership said it recognised the potential visual impact of the fence on the landscape but that it represented the only feasible solution to halting the decline of native species such as puffins and razorbills, of which there remain only eight and 18 respectively. Once established, the reserve could also help restore species such as guillemots, storm petrels and Manx shearwaters, and benefit over 30 others, the partnership added.
Survey results show 91.7% support for the creation of the reserve with the fence, with 8.3% not supporting it. When considering only Jersey participants, the proportion in support reduced by only 0.3%.
Principal reasons for supporting the project were a sense of responsibility to save Jersey’s natural heritage for future generations and a sense of urgency to act before it was too late. The consultation also generated letters and emails supporting the project, including letters from the ornithology section of the Société Jersiaise, Visit Jersey, the Alderney Wildlife Trust, the French Office for Biodiversity, and the Jersey International Centre for Advanced Studies.
Birds on the Edge project officer Cris Sellares said that the level of public engagement inspired by the consultation surpassed their expectations.
“We would have been happy with 500 to 600 responses, so to receive almost double the amount is remarkable, and shows the level of involvement of the community with the project,” she said.
Chris Ransom, director of field programmes at Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, commented: “We are thrilled to see that Jersey’s public supports this project so wholeheartedly. Durrell works in many projects to protect endangered seabirds, from Mauritius to the Caribbean. While this is not our first project involving a predator-proof fence, it’s certainly the one closest to home.”
