Lover’s Lake Nature Reserve

Lover’s Lake is a 0.38 ha (0.94 acre) saltwater pond, located on the northeastern shore of St. Georges Island in St. George’s parish, Bermuda.

Lover’s Lake is both a Bermuda Government Nature Reserve and a Ramsar Site.

Lover's Lake

Looking northeast across Lover’s Lake, St. Georges

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Recreational Use

Recreational Use

A mountain biker on the trail at Lover’s Lake

A ring of silvery Black Mangrove trees encircles Lover’s Lake

A ring of silvery Black Mangrove trees encircles Lover’s Lake

Bermuda Cedars, Palmettos and Black Mangroves with invasive Casuarinas on the hillside behind

Bermuda Cedars, Palmettos and Black Mangroves with invasive Casuarinas on the hillside behind

Hurricane damage 2016

Hurricane damage 2016

Due to its coastal location, the vegetation of the Lover’s Lake valley is often burnt by salt spray

Resilient Endemic Trees

Resilient Endemic Trees

Bermuda Cedars and Olivewoods visible among salt burned invasive vegetation following Hurricane Humberto in 2019

Only one species of mangrove, the Black Mangrove ( Avicennia germinans ), grows at Lover’s Lake

Only one species of mangrove, the Black Mangrove (Avicennia germinans), grows at Lover’s Lake

The dense pneumatophores (snorkel roots) of Black Mangrove trees

The dense pneumatophores (snorkel roots) of Black Mangrove trees

Mangrove Flowers

Mangrove Flowers

Black Mangroves produce white flowers in summer

Mangrove Fruit

Black Mangroves produce pointed green fruits

Sea Connection

Lover’s Lake is connected to the sea through underground caves

Fish Survey

A researcher setting Killifish traps in Lover’s Lake during the 2011/2012 survey

A minnow trap set for surveying Lover’s Lake Killifish

A minnow trap set for surveying Lover’s Lake Killifish

Fish Population Estimate

Fish Population Estimate

A researcher using a dye injector to mark a male Killifish

Female Lover’s Lake Killifish

Female Lover’s Lake Killifish

Male Lover’s Lake Killifish

Male Lover’s Lake Killifish

Tiny, sticky sea cucumbers ( Synaptula sp .) are very common in Lover’s Lake

Tiny, sticky sea cucumbers (Synaptula sp.) are very common in Lover’s Lake

Widgeon Grass (Ruppia maritima) and a Black Mangrove seedling in Lover’s Lake

Widgeon Grass (Ruppia maritima) and a Black Mangrove seedling in Lover’s Lake

Pond Invertebrates

Pond Invertebrates

Sea cucumbers and sea anemones, Lover’s Lake

Green algae and invertebrates in Lover’s Lake

Green algae and invertebrates in Lover’s Lake

Upside-down Jellyfish ( Cassiopea andromeda ) on the muddy floor of Lover’s Lake

Upside-down Jellyfish (Cassiopea andromeda) on the muddy floor of Lover’s Lake

Seaside Purslane ( Sesuvium portulacastrum) is found along the edge of Lover’s Lake

Seaside Purslane (Sesuvium portulacastrum) is found along the edge of Lover’s Lake

Olivewood Flowers

Olivewood Flowers

Endemic Bermuda Olivewood trees have been planted in the woodland around Lover’s Lake

Cedar Berries

Endemic Bermuda Cedars can be seen growing around Lover’s Lake, alongside the grey skeletons of cedars the died in the Blight of the 1940’s.

Bermuda Palmetto planted between Lover’s Lake and the sea.

Bermuda Palmetto planted between Lover’s Lake and the sea.

World Wetlands Day 2020

World Wetlands Day 2020

Students from BIOS participating in a ‘BioBlitz’ survey for WWD in Feb. 2020.

Lover's Lake

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Recreational Use

A ring of silvery Black Mangrove trees encircles Lover’s Lake

Bermuda Cedars, Palmettos and Black Mangroves with invasive Casuarinas on the hillside behind

Hurricane damage 2016

Resilient Endemic Trees

Only one species of mangrove, the Black Mangrove ( Avicennia germinans ), grows at Lover’s Lake

The dense pneumatophores (snorkel roots) of Black Mangrove trees

Mangrove Flowers

Mangrove Fruit

Sea Connection

Fish Survey

Fish Population Estimate

Female Lover’s Lake Killifish

Male Lover’s Lake Killifish

Tiny, sticky sea cucumbers ( Synaptula sp .) are very common in Lover’s Lake

Pond Invertebrates

Green algae and invertebrates in Lover’s Lake

Upside-down Jellyfish ( Cassiopea andromeda ) on the muddy floor of Lover’s Lake

Seaside Purslane ( Sesuvium portulacastrum) is found along the edge of Lover’s Lake

Olivewood Flowers

Cedar Berries

Bermuda Palmetto planted between Lover’s Lake and the sea.

World Wetlands Day 2020