What We Do

The Nature Commission recognises that our natural environment is declining in biodiversity and, hence, health. We are working hard to reverse this trend by protecting and enhancing Guernsey’s natural environment for the health of our economy and the wellbeing of our island community.

The Nature Commission collaborates with the States of Guernsey, the third sector, business and the community, creating a nature network and facilitating a shared ‘voice for nature’. The Nature Commission provides support in the delivery of the States’ Strategy for Nature https://www.gov.gg/strategyfornature, a multi-year plan with objectives that include connecting the community with nature, helping to ensure the diversity and resilience of natural capital and assets, and sharing knowledge about nature.

The Nature Commission carries out a programme of citizen science initiatives, projects and surveys.

Why is citizen science important?

Citizen science is a great way to connect people with nature while also collecting large amounts of useful data. Volunteering helps us give back to our natural environment and is vital in consistently providing large amounts of data over a long time period and in filling the gaps in our knowledge. The citizen science projects the Nature Commission support are often national projects and so by contributing data we are helping to build a picture for the whole of the British Isles. By knowing more about the state of our habitats and species, we can understand which areas need the most support. Additionally, data from these projects will be used in the next and subsequent State of Nature reports produced by the Nature Commission. Important data collection like this would not be possible without volunteers.

How to get involved

Volunteers will be offered training on the various survey methodologies with the Nature Commission, before being encouraged to conduct surveys independently. The Nature Commission will be available to assist with any queries and training regarding the citizen science projects where requested once training has been provided, but we would love for you, or a group you’re in, to take the lead! For example, you could volunteer to surveying your favourite beaches a couple of times a year.

Training sessions for various citizen science projects will take place monthly throughout the summer. There will also be a few data inputting sessions to show volunteers how to submit the data that has been collected.

If you would like to attend any of the training sessions, please contact office@naturecommission.gg to find out when and where they are taking place.

Find out more!

Click here to find out about the citizen science projects the Nature Commission supports.

Nature Matters articles

The Nature Commission leads the Nature Matters communications in the Guernsey Press, where monthly content on biodiversity in Guernsey and the wider Bailiwick is published. This is coordinated across Biodiversity Partnership Group organisations and other natural environment charities and agencies. The purpose is to communicate the importance of our natural environment and the amazing things being achieved by the third sector with the general public, and to raise awareness of the issues of biodiversity decline.

Keep an eye out for the next article in the Guernsey Press!

Biodiversity Partnership Group (BPG)

The BPG was established in 2017 to act as a partner to the States of Guernsey on the effective delivery of the Strategy for Nature (formerly the Biodiversity Strategy).

Since 2023, the BPG has been coordinated and led by the Nature Commission, and acts as an advisory panel to the Nature Commission and the States of Guernsey Agriculture, Countryside & Land Management Services (ACLMS) on the delivery and direction of the Strategy for Nature.

The Group is made up of representatives from a number of Non-Government Organisations which hold a mandated interest in the conservation of wildlife and habitat, as well as qualified experts in conservation, ecology and land management.

Education

Good quality nature education connects children to nature and helps instil a passion for the natural environment.

The Nature Commission regularly supports teaching and learning and can give advice about the natural environment to teachers, if needed.

The annual BioBlitz, which is organised by the Nature Commission, is a fantastic opportunity for children to learn about nature first-hand with local experts and nature enthusiasts.

Public Engagement

Raising awareness about nature with the public is an important part of the Nature Commission's work. If people understand nature, they are more likely to want to care for it and protect it.

The Nature Commission promotes public engagement and sharing information through our Citizen Science programme, Nature Matters articles in the Guernsey Press, social media and in the future publication of the first State of Nature Report for Guernsey.

State of Nature reporting

The Nature Commission has produced the first State of Nature report for Guernsey and Herm this year, State of Nature 2024. This report has been compiled using the best available data for local wildlife. Trends in the abundance and distribution of species and habitats are highlighted where possible, and the key pressures on wildlife are identified.

Repeat publications will occur every 5 years, and will report on changes to the state of nature so that we may identify trends in the populations of our wildlife, galvanize actions to prevent further loss, and encourage protection and enhancement of our natural environment.

State of Nature reports will assist all islanders, including businesses and government, in better understanding the importance of our natural environment, and the impacts of our activities on our habitats and species.

The Nature Commission will use the report to inform our ongoing workstreams, including education with schools, our biological data collection projects, and as a tool for public engagement and presentations. The Nature Commission will promote the findings of the reports with businesses, government departments, and politicians to help ensure that informed decision-making, policy and legislation development, and investments are being made which have positive impacts on our local biodiversity.

Click here for the most recent report.

The Nature Commission organises an annual BioBlitz with the help of local experts from environmental organisations. The 2024 BioBlitz took place at Bordeaux on Tuesday 21st May.

A BioBlitz is a 24-hour event in which local experts, volunteer scientists and nature enthusiasts work together to find and identify as many species of plants, animals, fungi, and other organisms as possible.

Local experts share their BioBlitz findings with primary school children who are invited to the BioBlitz site to discover more about the fantastic nature that can be found in Guernsey. The school BioBlitz days were on Thursday 23rd and Friday 24th May and the children took part in bird watching, searching for 'minibeasts', looking for important plants and rock pooling.

As part of the BioBlitz event, the Nature Commission visited primary schools to give presentations about the BioBlitz and why it is an important event for nature. This helped prepare the children and teachers for their visit to Bordeaux.

Strategy For Nature Fund

The Strategy for Nature (SfN) Fund was established in recognition that the States of Guernsey 2020 Strategy for Nature is not simply a government document; it is a framework that requires support and action from the whole community to achieve its goals and objectives.

The Fund offers financial support for environmental initiatives which aim to further the goals and objectives of the Strategy for Nature. The scheme is managed by the Nature Commission and the States of Guernsey Agriculture, Countryside and Land Management Services (ACLMS).

Individuals, organisations and students are invited to apply for financial support from the Strategy for Nature Fund to support environmental initiatives that further the goals and objectives of the Strategy for Nature. A total of £40,000 is donated through the fund in the form of grants, with £9,000 of that total dedicated specifically to a bursary for students completing graduate or post graduate degrees in a relevant subject with a commitment to carry out data collection for their research project on-island.

The 2023 Fund was successfully distributed between 11 environmental projects and 2 student research projects.

These projects included:

the creation of a pond
clearance of scrub to develop coastal grassland
a nature walk for Early Years Children
removal of invasive non-native plants
research on the sedimentary carbon stocks of eelgrass

The 2024 Strategy for Nature Fund will open for application this autumn.

People and Nature Survey

The People and Nature Survey for Guernsey will gather evidence and trend data about people's access, understanding and enjoyment of nature, and how it contributes to wellbeing.