2021 has been a year of progress and achievement for the Jersey National Park team but it couldn’t have happened without the support and help from all our partners, associates, colleagues, friends and volunteers. Please take the time to look back at some of our highlights of the year:
Our aim is to support our partners in protecting, conserving and enhancing the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage within the Park. This year there have been many positive discussions on what that means for Jersey, and these discussions will continue into the new year. They include extending the boundaries as well as beyond the shoreline to the sea around the Island. We at the Jersey National Park firmly believe that this would bring about a range of welcome benefits. Land and seascape protection is by far the most potent environmental legacy our generation can possibly leave.
One of our key safeguarding objectives is to encourage as many people as possible to visit and enjoy all the diverse qualities the Park has to offer. It has been a busy year in that respect, particularly with our prime trio of initiatives; Walk in the Park, Picnic in the Park, Time in the Park. All three have proven to be successful in raising awareness and encouraging people to enjoy all those natural benefits found in the great outdoors.
We’re now looking at our calendar of events for 2022, including a new programme of guided walks, expanding on our Picnic in the Park initiative, and how, once again, we can inject even more enjoyment and wellbeing into our activities. We’re also envisaging more regular, relevant and voluntary activities with our partners including an exciting rewilding project which we’ll be sharing with you shortly.
St. Ouen’s Bay forms the largest Park area in the Island, where we’re lucky enough to have our main base, the Frances Le Sueur Centre. It is our intention to hold even more events here once the current Covid restrictions relax. As such, we’re happy to invite other groups and businesses to use this fantastic space to focus on subjects that meet our environmental values – climate change, biodiversity and nature conservation.
As we reach the Christmas and New Year break, we encourage you to go alfresco by enjoying the Park and all the benefits it brings. You can use our interactive map to gain inspiration on activities and areas of interest. And if you can grab the opportunity to get out and explore our Island, then do please look at our reminders on how to show respect for our environment this winter.
Finally, we’d like to end our last blog of 2021 by saying a big ‘Thank You’ to everyone who has supported the Jersey National Park. Whether it has been contributing towards its protection and awareness, assisting with the governance and infrastructure requirements, or helping the Frances Le Sueur Centre move a step closer to being the Park’s education and events base, we are incredibly grateful. We look forward to continuing this working relationship and developing many more new partnerships in 2022.
Season’s greetings and best wishes for a prosperous new year.
The Jersey National Park team.