GCV works hard to rid Fort Le Marchant of sour fig
FORT Le Marchant is almost clear of sour fig as the Guernsey Conservation Volunteers embarks on its final drive to remove the invasive species at the site.
There have been 13 work parties there since February this year, when the group was granted financial backing from the Strategy for Nature Fund.
‘It’s been an amazing community project and it has not just been GCV, it’s been corporate groups and scout groups – there has been more than 200 people involved in it,’ said GCV group coordinator Angela Salmon.
Today is the first of four remaining sessions to clear the species, and native species are already starting to reappear.
‘After the last work party we will return next year because sour fig will shoot up, and potentially the year after depending on how much grows.
‘Eventually it sort of gives up,’ said Ms Salmon.
This year more than 30 tonnes has been pulled up at Fort Le Marchant.
Since 2008 the volunteers have cleared a number of sites around the island, including the Fairy Ring, which has now been fully restored to a coastal grass habitat.
The team will spend another two hours removing live and dead fig from 10am today – a project they are referring to as ‘Fig at the Fort’.
