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Whilst conducting our 9th bi-weekly pollinator survey today we took the opportunity to complete a Big Butterfly Count and submit our results. We'd like to encourage as many people as possible to take part in this citizen science project. Details can be found at https://butterfly-conservation.org/events/the-big-butterfly-count-2025

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The Big Butterfly Count 2025 is between the 18th of July and 10th of August.Counting butterflies can be described as taking the pulse of nature and we depend on you, our citizen scientists, to help us assess how much help nature needs. The data from this and other counts will also help us to identify important trends in species that will assist us in planning how to protect butterflies from extinction, as well as understanding the effect of climate change on wildlife.We thank the 2329 people who took part in the Big Butterfly Count 2024 in Norfolk during the summer counting 27,885 butterflies and day-flying moths.Gatekeeper was our number 1, jumping from 4 th place in 2023. Despite this its numbers werestill down by over a quarter. Our chart topper last year Peacock fell to number 5 with itsnumbers down by an average of 70% per count, Red Admiral at number 2 in 2023 slipped tonumber 6 with a 75% reduction.We achieved good coverage for Norfolk, but there are a few gaps (see map). Can you help us fill these in 2025?

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Here’s a quick timeline :

January – proposal prepared for States of Guernsey (Agriculture, Countryside and Land Management Services [ACLMS])

February – first cut and removal of arisings, soil samples taken and analysed

March onwards – verges created and pathway mown through wildflower meadow

April – September – bi-monthly surveys of pollinators, bats, and plants to create a baseline dataset for future comparison purposes

23 July 2025 – public consultation at St Martin's Community Centre 6:30pm to 8pm

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Fort Field is on the main route into St Peter Port from the south east, ending at the top of Le Val des Terres.

It's an area of amenity land that had a brick kiln in the late 18th century, the bricks were used to construct Fort George.

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25/Feb/25 Removing arisings is important because they release nitrogen as they rot down, which promotes rapid grass growth. Grass outcompetes slower growing wildflowers resulting in ever decreasing numbers of flowers as time goes on. So far we have removed 6 full one tonne bags of arisings this year. The grass has also grown so long that much of it has been flattened to below the level of the mower blades. The picture shows the result after mowing, the thatch is thick and stands about 150mm high when raked.

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Working with local experts and La Societe, we are carrying out regular surveys at Fort Field to monitor the plants and insects that live there. We are hopeful that new management will increase the biodiversity of the site, meaning more flowers, insects, birds and bats will make their homes there.

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Relaxing - having a picnic, enjoying nature etc

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Playing - football, catch, letting the kids run wild 

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You may have noticed that a small team from The Pollinator Project has been working on the wildflower areas at the Morley Chapel end of Fort Field. In January 2025 we approached States of Guernsey Agriculture, Countryside and Land Management Services (ACLMS) with a draft proposal to change the way in which Fort Field is managed. Based on experience of other sites like this around the island and a review of best practice the team concluded that without more intensive cutting and removal of the layer of decaying grass and cuttings the chance of this area thriving were limited. Further discussions are underway and we hope to share those with everyone in the next few weeks. There will then be a public consultation with users, neighbours and all those with a keen interest in the future of this amenity area.

In the meantime, ACLMS has allowed our volunteers to mow these pollinator patches and remove the clippings (known as arisings). We’ve also been mowing some paths around and through the wildflowers to give everyone the chance to enjoy them when they flower.

This year the objective is to demonstrate how the site can be better managed to increase biodiversity and to inform a public meeting to consider how Fort Field can be managed in the future. For this reason we will scythe half of the meadow area to remove the thatch and allow light and air to get to the emerging wildflowers. It will be interesting to see what differences there are between the two areas.

We are also leaving unmown a 2m wide strip on either side of the wildflower meadow to see how wildflowers develop when the habitat is left untouched.

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Please add photos of the nature you have spotted at Fort Field. Don't worry if you dont know what species it is - one of our experts may be able to tell you.

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We are the Pollinator Project Guernsey, a charity dedicated to the conservation of wild insects and their habitat, and gardening for wildlife. We are leading the Fort Field Consultation to help improve the management for people and nature.

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Who is conducting the public consultation?

The Pollinator Project (PP)

When?

Wednesday 23rd July 2025

Where?

St Martin’s Community Centre

Format

18:30 View information boards

19:00 Presentation

19:30 Questions and answers

20:00 Chance to chat

Purpose

To present ideas and collect feedback about possible ways to manage Fort Field for the benefit of both people and nature.

Outcome

Feedback will be used to inform a 3-year plan for the site, to be approved by Agriculture, Countryside and Land Management Services (ACLMS), and delivered by the Pollinator Project.

The future

We anticipate holding a second public consultation in summer 2027. The purpose will be to review how the first two years of the new management regime has gone and to identify any areas which could be improved.

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We have a Facebook Group! Join us by clicking on the link above or by searching 'Friends of Fort Field' from your Facebook account. The group will be used to share information and allow community discussion. If you prefer, you can just use this Padlet to stay up to date.

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Log into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know.

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We'd love to hear from you!

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Fort Field Project feedback - Pollinator Project

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We would love to hear from you, please let us know any feedback you have about the Fort Field Project.