Wildlife plays an important role in tourism
WE WERE pleased to read in your recent edition the article 'Five new bird species spotted in Alderney in just one year', which highlighted the role wildlife can play in increasing tourism to our islands. In the last year the Alderney Wildlife Trust has taken around 600 people out on boat trips to see Alderney’s fascinating sea life (in particular the gannets and puffins), over 375 people to explore creatures of the night such as bats and hedgehogs and hundreds more for other wildlife activities and tours.
We would like to clarify one point made in the article and that is the Alderney Bird Observatory was founded by the AWT in 2015, at the behest of Paul Veron. Paul (a well-known Channel Island ornithologist) held a lifelong dream of establishing a bird observatory in the Channel Islands, highlighting the islands’ unique position on the route of many migratory species. The AWT helped bring that idea to life, forming the ABO in the autumn of 2015 and then recruiting a warden from the UK. After the observatory had been established, a change in focus led to the parting of the two organisations, which are now run independently.
The AWT continues to strive for its vision of an island with strong protection for wildlife and their habitats. To achieve this our work must be guided by scientific research, monitoring and public engagement. We look forward to 2020 as a year the Alderney Records Centre will be fully realised with the help of established records centres in Jersey and Guernsey. The marine environment is also to be explored further on Alderney this year with projects such as eelgrass mapping, underwater cameras and a snorkel group just beginning.
If you might be interested in supporting our conservation work, protecting Alderney’s wildlife for the future, please consider becoming a member of the AWT. To learn more about what we do, and sign up, please visit www.alderneywildlife.org.
ALDERNEY WILDLIFE TRUST
Address withheld.