Busy Weekend at Cooper's Island (reposted)

Last weekend was a very busy one at Cooper's Island Nature Reserve, with many volunteers contributing hours of service to help promote and conserve biodiversity.

On Friday the 17th 80 young football players and coaches from the Bermuda Brazillian Football School joined HSBC bank and staff from the Department of Conservation Services to plant native and endemic plants throughout the Cooper's Island Reserve.

On Saturday the 18th a dozen volunteers from the Bermuda Audubon Society prepared 32 Longtail 'igloos' for use. These artificial nest chambers are styrofoam domes that must be coated to give them strength before they can be cemented into place along Bermuda's shoreline.

Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan United Kingdom Award 2012

On behalf of the Ministry of Education, we would like to make potential scholars aware of an opportunity to study in the UK through the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan 2012. Details of the award and how to apply can be found here. Online appliactions are due on December 1st 2011. The Ministry of Education can be contacted at 278-3343 for further information.

Bermuda Audubon Society opens restored Seymour's Pond Nature Reserve

Congratulations to the Bermuda Audubon Societyon the restoration of the brackish pond habitat at Seymour's Pond Nature Reserve on Barnes Corner, Southampton. Members of the Society and contractor Bell's Skyline Excavating dug out parts of the pond which had become filled and removed garbage from the pond.

Audubon Society volunteers also culled invasive plants which were filling in the edges of the pond and replaced them native and endemic species. The Ministry of Public Works has replaced the adjacent road drain on Middle Road as part of the habitat restoration and it is hoped this will improve the water quality in Seymour's Pond for birds and the resident population of endemic Killifish which were introduced this year.

This habitat restoration fulfills many BSAP activities, including invasive species removal, native planting, habitat restoration, protected area improvement, protected species management and government/NGO collaboration.

The Governor planted an Olivewood at the reserve during the opening on October 22nd

Bermuda Sun news article