Environmentalist of the Year: Meet your nominees

It could be a company which has committed to a number of projects around the community or an individual that encourages others to do their bit.

Anything that makes a difference to the Island in which we live – from a simple beach clean to a series of long-term commitments.

They all matter and this award is to thank them for their continued efforts and the example they set.

Read about the nominations for Environmentalist of the Year 2015 here:

Name: Dr Andrew Terry

Parish: Trinity

Nominated by: Sanne Terry

AN ISLANDER who works as the head of field conservation at Durrell has been nominated for Environmentalist of the Year.

Dr Andrew Terry has been working for Durrell since 2007 and is responsible for the management of the organisation’s conservation programmes.

Among them is a project in Madagascar that involves more than 60 staff travelling overseas to help stabilise the country and conserve the habitats of endangered species in the island.

The project includes improving the yield of foods in Madagascar, such as rice, and encouraging schools in the country to produce fruit and vegetables for the pupils to eat or sell.

He is also involved in the development of sanitation, through building toilets and providing wells for clean water supplies.

Dr Terry says that they have been working since 2004 and have now received permission to build three new protected areas.

‘We will be working hand in hand with people and it will be managed by the community,’ he said.

Dr Terry’s wife, Sanne, who nominated him, said that he worked tirelessly to save some of the most endangered species around the world.

‘He has also contributed to the work of setting up a coastal national park in Jersey,’ she added.

Name: AAL Recycling Limited

Parish: St Lawrence

Nominated by: Christopher Harris

A MAJOR recycling company is in the running to be named Environmentalist of the Year following its work to restore Plémont to its natural state.

AAL Recycling Limited has been nominated by Christopher Harris, the president of the National Trust for Jersey, who have cleared the site after buying it jointly with the States last year.

Mr Harris explained that the company began by working with specialists to remove asbestos from the former holiday camp buildings at the site.

He said: ‘In total, with up to 50 people working on site at any one time, AAL Recycling removed a combined 15,000 tonnes of asbestos, concrete, metal, fixtures and fittings and granite from the 6,205 sq m of buildings.

‘Over 75 per cent of the material was recycled, reused within the community and used on the Trust’s restoration projects.

‘Over 7,000 tonnes of sand and soil was also taken from La Collette Recycling Park, which is run by AAL, to be used to restore the land on the site.’

Mr Harris added that once the project was complete newts appeared within 24 hours of the first pond being filled.

‘AAL’s commitment to sustainability in the Island is demonstrated because of the lengths they went to to ensure that so much of the enormous amount of material removed was carefully reused and recycled,’ he said. ‘AAL truly went the extra mile.’

Name: Miranda Collett

Parish: St Ouen

Nominated by: Cassie Horton

ISLANDER Miranda Collett deserves recognition for her conservation work to help Jersey’s bat population, according to her nominator.

She has spent time setting up bat boxes in Jersey’s woodland areas to provide nesting spots for various species.

Nominator Cassie Horton, who helps to monitor the boxes every month, said she hoped the project got the recognition it deserved.

She added: ‘Miranda has been instrumental in setting up bat boxes around Island woodlands in an effort to provide an alternative habitat for the many and varied species of bats living in Jersey.

‘Due to habitat loss – the destruction of woodlands, the restoration of barns and old properties – bats have declined markedly.

Concerted efforts need to be made in stemming this decline as bats are a primary indicator of the success of an ecosystem – and of how much it has deteriorated.

‘The hope is that bats will choose to use these boxes as an alternative or even an addition to their existing habitats.’

It is hoped that the project will also reveal more information about different species of bat and test the theory that some bats prefer to roost in boxes high up a tree, while others prefer a lower position. Boxes that remain unused for five years will be removed.

Name: Rob Ward

Nominated by: Ani Binet

A RESEARCHER on a three-year project to study grass snakes in Jersey has been nominated for a Pride of Jersey Award.

Rob Ward (29) has three months left of his ‘Think Grass Snake’ PhD project, which is being carried out in conjunction with the Environment Department.

Mr Ward, who is from Surrey, spends time surveying and tracking grass snakes to establish population size and movements.

Nominator Ani Binet said: ‘The grass snake is the rarest reptile in Jersey and there is limited information on the population size and range. The Think Grass Snake campaign is part of Rob’s PhD research project, which is designed to study the status and conservation of grass snakes and slow worms in Jersey, and to raise awareness of these fascinating and beautiful animals.

‘Rob is out seven days a week surveying and radio tracking to establish the population and range of grass snakes in Jersey.

‘He rarely takes a day off and works very long days but still manages to take the time to train volunteers, answer any questions they have and help them to gain practical experience by accompanying him during field work, as well as doing talks for schools and the public.’

‘The impact research scientists have is frequently overlooked as there is often very little visual impact of their work, but without the backing of good research and science, practical conservation measures will fail as they will not address the factors affecting different species or their habitats.’

Name: Nurture Ecology

Parish: St Ouen

Nominated by: Liam Smith

NURTURE Ecology, a small environmental consultancy, offers a range of services designed to protect, preserve and promote Jersey’s natural landscape and the wildlife it supports.

It provides habitat and ecological surveys, site monitoring and general and specific animal surveys, as well as offering education and environmental activities days such as beach cleaning and work to remove invasive plants.

The organisation, which is led by directors Jon Horn and Paul Wagstaffe, has been nominated for a Pride of Jersey Award by Islander Liam Smith.

‘They do do a lot of education stuff alongside their more mainstream work, which involves surveys, risk assessments and land management work.

‘They are doing more and more education work like school visits and beach cleans and they also take corporate companies out to do beach cleans as well.’

Mr Smith described the group as ‘unsung heroes’ who helped carry out a huge range of environmental projects.

‘They are helping to preserve the Island for future generations while protecting everything that is precious about Jersey,’ he added.

Nurture Ecology employs two other full-time members of staff – assistant ecologist Jordan Todd, who has separately been nominated for a Pride of Jersey Award, and office manager Harriet Safe.

Name: Jordan Todd

Parish: St Brelade

Nominated by: Sharon Todd

A FORMER Hautlieu student with a passion for local wildlife is in the running for a Pride of Jersey Award.

Jordan Todd (25), a countryside ranger and ecologist, set up and runs a popular Facebook page called Jersey Naturalist.

He promotes Jersey’s environment across a range of social media platforms and thousands of people follow the posts and updates he uploads online.

He was nominated by Sharon Todd, his mother, who said: ‘My son created the Jersey Naturalist pages which are found on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

‘The pages share fantastic videos and photographs of local wildlife, which my son finds while working as a countryside ranger and ecologist.

‘He uses photos and videos to identify species and share valuable information about our local wildlife.

‘He helps others who send in photographs to identify species and gives information on how best to conserve these species for generations to come.

‘I feel he deserves to win the environmentalist of the year award as he spends a lot of his spare time photographing, filming, editing, writing, researching and answering queries all in the name of nature and all off his own back.’

Name: Piers Sangan

Parish: St Brelade

Nominated by: Verity Sangan

CONSERVATIONIST Piers Sangan is dedicated to preserving the natural environment and helping Islanders learn about their surroundings.

Much of the 25-year-old’s work involves habitat management – caring for the environment of different local species – and conducting wildlife surveys.

He also runs education and activity days for school children to teach them about animals found in the Island and the places they inhabit.

Mr Sangan, who runs Sangan Island Conservation, was nominated by his wife, Verity.

She said: ‘Piers’s main love and drive in his job is the conservation and preservation of Grouville Marsh.

‘The marsh is a site of special interest and is therefore protected.

‘Piers works tirelessly with these various groups to ensure the preservation of the marsh’s unique ecological structure for the wildlife there.’

Mrs Sangan added that her husband could often be found carrying out land management work on the marsh.

‘I think Piers’s dedication to the site is commendable,’ she said.

‘It is a unique area in our Island’s ecological system and one which he is passionate about preserving for future generations.’

Name: Jersey In Transition.

Age: Formed in 2010.

Nominated by: Mike Etienne.

JERSEY In Transition deserve a Pride of Jersey award as their work focuses on a key element of the environment – soil, according to nominator Mike Etienne.

The reasonably new group are part of a wider network of ‘transition’ campaigners around the world who are concerned about climate change, peak oil(the point at which the world’s oil supplies go into irreversible decline) and the economic instability, which arises from both.

Mr Etienne said he nominated the group because they cared deeply about the environment. ‘We should be showing the world the way,’ he added. ‘I believe that if land is cultivated properly, using natural methods, it will produce more of a crop than land that is forced to grow crops by being sprayed. And one of the reasons that JiT should win the Environmentalist of the Year Award is because they are raising awareness about this.

‘We can’t go on like we are. If we do, we might not have any potatoes in ten years’, time and then where would we be?

‘Jersey in Transition should win because they care about the environment. Unfortunately, many care only about money, and that’s always at the cost of the environment.’

Name: Save Our Shoreline Jersey.

Age: Established 21 years ago.

Parish: St Clement.

Nominated by: Sharon Cox, June Summers Shaw, Jean Drydale and others.

SAVE Our Shoreline Jersey should win a JEP Pride of Jersey Award for their tireless voluntary work to protect the environment, according to several nominees.

The group have received at least five nominations and are in the running to be named Environmentalist of the Year.

SOSJ are made up of chairman Michael du Pré, co-ordinator and researcher Dave Cabeldu, pollution control consultant Lara Luke, environmental science advisor Jacqui Carrel and finance and economic advisor Ed Lamondy.

The group have been a vocal opponent of the States-owned Jersey Development Company’s plans to build the Jersey International Finance Centre on the Esplanade car park.

In nominating SOSJ, Islander Sharon Cox said the group also deserved thanks for ensuring that the Island had Ramsar sites – protected areas of the environment – off the south coast.

Fellow nominator June Summers Shaw said: ‘The group campaign on all environmental issues and act as the conscience of the government. Their work is invaluable and is done willingly and freely.’

Islander Jean Drydale said it was vital that groups such as SOSJ existed to fight for environmental issues on behalf of the public.

Name: Jersey Trees for Life

Age: Existed in Jersey since 1937

Parish: St Ouen

Nominated by: Susie Robins

AS WELL as helping to protect trees and hedges in the Island, Jersey Trees for Life should be recognised for the work it does to educate children in the community, according to nominator Susie Robins.

She said that the organisation, which was formerly known as Jersey Men of the Trees, should win the Pride of Jersey Environmentalist of the Year award because of its ongoing work to preserve the countryside and their maintenance of a nationally important arboretum.

Mrs Robins added: ‘This charity has planted miles of hedgerow in Jersey over the last 20 years, replacing hedges lost to disease, neglect and modern farming methods. Wildlife has benefitted and the countryside has been maintained.

‘They are the only organisation in Jersey dedicated to protecting trees and educating children about their importance.’

Over the years members of the group has worked on a number of projects across the Island, including planting trees along the Railway Walk, replanting of land by St Ouen’s Manor, and the planting of a woodland at Grainville School, which won an award as part of the Queen’s 40th anniversary celebrations.

The sponsor:

FOR a company with close to 45,000 customers in the Island, Jersey Electricity has worked extremely hard to reduce its carbon emissions while demand for its product has risen sharply – the environment as a whole is a big deal for the energy supplier.

Chief executive Chris Ambler makes sure that he and his colleagues focus on sustainability and that Jersey Electricity not only offers good service at competitive prices but protects the environment. But he stressed the need to make sure that the Island’s only electricity supplier remains competitively priced across the whole range of what it offers.

‘It’s quite a closely-knit community here,’ he said. ‘People are in very regular contact with one another and have multiple interactions. Therefore, reputation is very important and trust is a very important cornerstone of your reputation.

‘I have spent a lot of time in the UK, and feel to some extent the UK has lost a lot of that trust.

‘Jersey has retained a lot of that trust. People here know that repeat business and repeat interactions are very important, so people are incentivised to work well together and to build a better community.

‘Jersey Electricity is owned by the people for the people.’

WHY THESE AWARDS?

‘We were really interested in getting involved. What’s unique is effectively it will be the people of Jersey proposing the award winners and the people of Jersey who do most of the voting.

‘I think these are important assets of the awards and connect with a much broader cross-section of the community. For that reason, they are really interesting for us.’

WHY THIS CATEGORY?

‘Firstly, we need to recognise that we live on a beautiful Island and I think it is crucial that we all play our role in protecting that unique environment. Secondly, we are an energy business and I feel that we really have a responsibility to help the community to do its bit to conserve resources and protect the environment.

‘Over the last 20 years we have helped to reduce the Island’s carbon emissions by a third but demand has increased by over 40%.

‘We’d like to see others in the community who are also passionate about the Environment also get the support and recognition they deserve in helping us protect this fantastic environment and by encouraging others to do their bit.’

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR IN THE WINNER?

‘The entry requirements are as broad as you can possibly think; they might be an influential individual, a group, school, business or organisation.

‘What we are really interested in is people or teams of people who have made a real tangible impact.

‘It could be about water-saving, energy, protecting our natural habitat, marine, coastline, endangered species.

‘But what’s important is what impact they have had; it could be an impact they themselves have had by rolling their sleeves up and getting stuff done themselves or it could be an individual who has influenced others to do the same. The key is we’re looking for people who have got involved themselves.’

THE Jersey Evening Post has created the Pride of Jersey awards to recognise and honour all aspects of community life in the Island.

Celebrating everyone from grandparents and neighbours to community champions and teachers, the awards’ aim is to mark some of the wonderful day-to-day activities and achievements of Islanders who help make Jersey such a special place to live.

And in order to keep the community at the heart of the awards, Islanders will be asked to nominate potential winners and be involved in the voting and judging, via the newspaper and online.