| UK. Guernsey is first “Ramsar” site, under UN Convention on Wetlands of International Importance |
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| Wednesday, 01 March 2006 | |
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Environmental news: Guernsey is celebrating the designation of its first Ramsar site, under the UN Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, otherwise known as the Ramsar Convention. The 426 hectare site encompasses Lihou Island, La Claire Mare Nature Reserve, and the Colin Best Nature Reserve, as well as the intertidal area and outlying reefs and rocks. The site contains a variety of habitats from internationally threatened shingle banks, to marshes, reed beds, saline lagoons, and the intertidal area. The site also has a rich biodiversity of flora and fauna, including a wide variety of seabirds, wildflowers, and marine organisms. Over 200 species of seaweed are recorded on the Lihou causeway alone. UK Biodiversity Minister Jim Knight, in announcing the designation, congratulated the Guernsey Authorities. 'The United Kingdom has a proud record of designating more Ramsar sites than any other country, and the Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories are home to particularly valuable and internationally-important wetland habitats," he said. "Guernsey is a worthy member of this group and the Guernsey site will be the 165th Ramsar site in the British Isles.' Guernsey Environment Department Minister, Deputy Bernard Flouquet, said the announcement was great news for the island. "I am very pleased that an area of Guernsey's wetlands will now be recognised internationally. Designation elevates the status of the site to that of 'International Importance', bringing special notice to the environmental, cultural and heritage aspects of the area. This recognition provides a positive focal point for new education, tourism and environmental initiatives which contribute to the long-term conservation and wise use of that particular site and other wetland areas". Dr Charles David, President of La Societe Guernesiaise, said: "La Societe Guernesiaise is very pleased that this area has been granted Ramsar status. La Societe has been closely involved with the application, together with the Guernsey Biological Records Centre, which is run in partnership with the Environment Department. La Societe is a landowner, with a number of our sites such as the Colin Best and La Claire Mare Nature Reserves included within the Ramsar site. The site has some of the largest and most important intertidal areas in Western Europe, the size being due to Guernsey having a 10 metre tidal range - one of the largest in the world." "The land area is also very rich, containing wet meadows. Some of the best orchid fields in the Channel Islands can be admired at La Claire Mare Nature Reserve. This area is also very rich in insect species, some not found elsewhere in the Channel Islands. The reedbeds provide very important habitat for bird life, and is one of the best birding sites in Guernsey. Saltmarshes are very threatened habitats in the Channel Islands and those found at the Colin Best Nature Reserve and on Lihou are among the best fragments of Saltmarsh habitat remaining. Many plants and insects are found there, including the Saltmarsh Goosefoot, found in Lihou (understood to be the only site in the Channel Islands). The Shingle Banks at L'Eree and Lihou are also internationally threatened habitats and are very rich in plant species, notably Sea Kale, and Yellow-Horned Poppy," he added. Several Red data Book species occur on the site, including the fern allies Ophioglossum azoricum, which is found on Lihou and Isoetes histrix which occurs on Lihou and L'Eree headland. O. azoricum is a Red Data book species in both the UK and France, and I. histrix is known only on one site in England. The ormer, Haliotis tuberculata, a marine mollusc, is of great cultural significance locally, where it is a delicacy. The gathering of ormers though is carefully regulated under local legislation. Keen rock-poolers can discover a wealth of other marine organisms, including some species which occur on the edge of their natural distribution range. Many rare species and a representative sample of the north-western European fish fauna are found in the marine area of the site. The site is also a good stepping-stone for critically endangered aquatic warbler Arcocephalus paludicola, as well as proving good roosting and nesting sites for seabirds. There are particularly large numbers of Eurasian Oystercatchers Haematopus ostralegus, but other varieties of waders include: ringed plover, turnstone, and Little Egret. The site also has a rich history, with passage graves dating to the Neolithic era, evidence of prehistoric settlement and Mesolithic flint working, pre-historic/Roman salt working and post medieval fortifications, as well as a medieval priory. |
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| Last Updated ( Wednesday, 01 March 2006 ) |
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