We are  delighted to announce the winners of our annual schools art competition.

 

A fantastic well done to Samuel Bouwer Smith, Juno Bamford and Arthur Carré who won the 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd prizes. And an extra well done to Daisy Lower, Sophie Renouf and Lewis Pengelley for winning their category prizes too!

” Their creativity has been fantastic, they have amazed us with their use of colour, natural materials, and collage. We love the sense of fun too, just look at the eyes on Lewis’s entry” said Sharon Hickman from the Pollinator Project. “Every year we visit every primary school, do a special assembly and hand out competition entries. After that it’s down to the children, the schools, and parents, to find inspiration, to get involved and to meet the deadline!”

This year the standard was exceptionally high in fact it was so high that the Pollinator Project stepped in with an extra prize. “To celebrate the 10,000^th entry since we launched the competition we decided we would pick out the most realistic entry, the one that most closely copied a real solitary bee. It was really tough and we had to whittle down the entries and check with the best experts on the island. The answer was unanimous in the end and we picked this bee created by Isla Aylward from St Anne’s school in Alderney.”

Congratulations to all of our winners and well done to everyone that took part. A special mention must go to Samuel as well. This isn’t the first time he’s won in our competition. There is a budding artist there at Castel school”, said Sharon.

Our prize winners in full

1st prize	Samuel Bouwer Smith	Castel
2nd prize	Juno Bamford	St Martins
3rd prize	Arthur Carré	Vale
Pre-schools prize	Daisy Lower	Monkey Puzzle- King’s
SEN prize	Lewis Pengelley	Le Rondin
Wells prize	Sophie Renouf	Mare de Carteret
The Pollinator Project prize	Isla Aylward	St Anne’s

 

“Connecting children with nature like this is so important. It’s lovely that in this digital age we can support a programme that is such fun and relies on practical and creative skills, said Linda Boucher- Harris from sponsor Rothschild. “This is the 2nd year we have been involved in supporting the Pollinator Project with its flagship programme and we are delighted to be part of it.

Prize giving was very special, it’s not just the prizes for the winners and their schools, and t-shirts printed with their winning entry, it’s the excitement, the proud parents and grandparents, everyone plays their part. We are very happy to get involved and enjoyed it immensely too.”

“As a family we love continuing this connection with the Pollinator Project said Jayne Wells. It’s amazing to see all the entries hanging in the Guille-Allès library and we know that Barry who co-founded the Pollinator Project back in 2017 would have been delighted. The art competition was very dear to his heart, for him it combined art, science and education. That’s what the Pollinator Project is all about. We picked the entry from Sophie Renouf because it best represented those different elements. It’s been very carefully thought through and put together.

“We love the thought that all the entries are displayed and everyone can come in and find theirs if they look hard enough,” said Jayne.

Now in its 8^th year the competition is open to all children in pre-schools and primary schools and focuses on different groups of pollinating insects. This year focused on the 80 or more species of solitary bees living in Guernsey like the violet winged mining bee, wool carder bee, and the red mason bee. Each year more than 1300 entries are received from across the Bailiwick. Every entrant gets a free packet of seeds to grow pollinator friendly flowers.

We encourages everyone to do their bit to help our pollinators which are vital to our food, gardens, wildflowers and peace of mind.

 

What a fantastic weekend we had in the company of our 3 scientists Dr Erica McAlister from the Natural History Museum in London, Liz Sweet- the Guernsey Scientist and our very own Dr Miranda Bane. The three film showings and talks from Erica took us into the wonderful lives of our local pollinators from the Furrow Bee, to the amazing world of flies.

 

It was a great privilege to premiere “Pollinators- Great and Small” made by Wild Islands a talented local film collective and to host Erica who has researched, filmed and documented flies all over the world. There is no doubt that our 3 hosts are serious scientists, Erica’s films may well appear in a BBC documentary this summer, Liz regularly studies and lectures on ocean marine life and Miranda is a surveyor and contributor to the UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme, but apart from that none of us can be in any doubt that they like a laugh. And that spread to our audience and continued into the questions afterwards.

 

But what did we discover? Was it the life of the bee fly with its expanding proboscis? Or maybe the precarious life of the local Furrow Bee? The spinning drumstick like halteres of flies and the lumbering bloody nosed beetles all added to the picture. Whatever it was were all left in no doubt that we have wonderful nature in Guernsey, but the state of our nature is not wonderful. Declines in pollinator numbers effect all of our lives and there is much more to be done to protect the future of our planet and it’s peoples.

We loved the questions afterwards and we’re still working out which is Guernsey’s biggest pollinator. The emperor dragonfly? Great green bush cricket? Death’s head hawk moth? Or maybe the blackcap?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We’re hosting a film premiere and talk from an international expert at the PRCPA this weekend.

International expert comes to Guernsey to talk at local film premiere

We are delighted to announce the premiere of “Pollinators Great and Small” at The Bees and Beyond weekend also featuring a presentation from international expert Dr Erica McAlister from the Natural History Museum. All tickets booked for the 3 showings on the 18^th and 19^th April including the free Sunday family’s matinée will be entered in a prize draw to win a trip for 2 to London.

The film was shot, produced, and directed locally by Wild Islands in Guernsey and Sark and is their second local film after “The Blue”.  From the tiny furrow bee emerging in spring, to hoverflies drifting across our hedgerows, and moths working the night shift, pollinators are everywhere.  Narrated by Dr Miranda Bane from the Pollinator Project and Liz Sweet, The Guernsey Scientist, the film tells the story of a very special bee, explores the hidden world of pollinating insects, their importance to our islands and our modern lives today.

Liz Sweet said “This film was an absolute joy to make with some true David Attenborough moments. We held our breath watching bee wolves stalk their unsuspecting prey like lions in Africa. Have you ever seen a pantaloon bee? Or an Orange-tip butterfly? You’ll be astounded at the sheer variety of insect species supported by our tiny islands and how much we rely on them.”

World expert Dr McAlister has featured on many broadcasts from the Life Scientific to the Infinite Monkey Cage talking about her research across the world, including in Costa Rica, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Peru. However, it is flies that are close to her heart. “Flygirl” is going to reveal the vital role of these creatures in Guernsey’s pollination.

Miranda Bane said “We’re very excited to have Erica visit, she’s a natural storyteller and while we often think of flies as a nuisance, by the time she’s talked about chocolate flies, bee flies, and maybe even forensic and scuba flies you’ll have a very different idea.”

There are 3 shows, Saturday 18^th April 7-9pm, Sunday 7-9pm plus a free matinée for families on the Sunday 2-4pm. Tickets can be booked through the Princess Royal Performing Arts Centre https://www.prcpa.gg and are priced at £10 for adults and £7.50 for children and students for the evening shows.

“We really want to give everyone the chance to learn more about our natural history and thanks to Rothschild & Co Foundation who are sponsoring the event everyone that attends will be entered into a free prize draw to win 2 flights and an overnight stay in London so they can visit the Natural History Museum”. added Miranda.

Linda Boucher-Harris, Director, Rothschild & Co also said “We are thrilled to support the Pollinator Project for a second year which includes our sponsorship of the premiere of this community film. This film highlights the vital role our pollinator friends play in our environment and helps inspire the next generation to understand and protect them.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

We’re excited to share all the fantastic progress at Fort Field so far this year!

🍏 Mini-Orchard & Hedging: Two work parties kicked things off—first, volunteers planted 10 fruit trees to create a mini-orchard, and then another 100 native hedging whips were added behind it. Huge thanks to everyone who helped!

🌳 Woodchip Mulch Incoming: Three trailer loads of woodchips, kindly donated by Guernsey Tree Services https://www.facebook.com/GuernseyTreeServices/ , will soon be spread as mulch to help our new trees and hedges thrive. Watch out for the next work party announcement!

🌸 Cherry Tree Avenue: In late February/early March, we’ll plant 36 native cherry trees (18 on each side of the transverse path) to create a beautiful spring avenue for pollinators and a food source for birds in autumn. Stay tuned for the planting date!

💧 Tree Care: States Works will be watering the fruit and cherry trees weekly during the growing season. You might spot the corrugated plastic tubes by the trees—these help direct water to the roots and reduce evaporation.

🌼 Wildflower Planting: This April, we’ll be planting over 500 native wildflower plants in the roadside verge, supplied by La Societe Guernesiase Botany Section https://www.facebook.com/groups/1310943042297921/ . Another work party will be organised—come and get involved!

🌾 Summer Meadow Management: After the wildflowers bloom and set seed in late July or August, contractors will mow and remove the arisings. We’ll also organise a work party to scythe, rake, and remove arisings to prep for 2027.

🦋 Looking Ahead: We plan to introduce information boards explaining key features and why they matter for pollinators and biodiversity. Plus, keep an eye out for a nature-based treasure hunt for children!

We hope you’ll join us at our work parties and help make Fort Field a haven for wildlife and the community. Together, we’re making a real difference!

#FortField #PollinatorProject #Community #Biodiversity #Guernsey

It’s time for a quick look back at everything we achieved at Fort Field last year!

✨ January: The Pollinator Project proposed a new mowing regime at the Morley Chapel end, aiming to boost biodiversity and win support from the public. After discussions with ACLMS, we agreed to trial the new approach.

✨ February–March: The new mowing regime began, with borders mown to show active management. We also created a winding path through the wildflower meadow so everyone can enjoy the pollinators up close.

✨ April–May: Bi-weekly insect surveys and a plant survey by La Societe Guernesiaise Botany Section https://www.facebook.com/groups/1310943042297921/  established a baseline for future biodiversity gains.

✨ July: We held a public consultation, sharing four management options. Nearly 100 people responded with feedback—thank you! See the results and comments here: https://pollinatorproject.gg/public-consultation-notes-from-the-event/

✨ August: Contractors cut the meadow and verges, and volunteers removed over 20 tonnes of arisings for composting at The Soil Farm: https://www.facebook.com/thesoilfarm/. This step is vital for wildflower health!

✨ September: We secured a 3-year Service Level Agreement with ACLMS, starting January 2026.

✨ November–December: Volunteers prepped and planted 300 native hedging whips (hazel, hornbeam, hawthorn, blackthorn, and wild crab apple), all great for pollinators, birds, and small mammals.

🎉 We ended the year on a high, securing Dougie’s Grant, a Strategy for Nature grant, and a generous donation from an Open Market neighbour—ensuring our work continues!

Next week we’ll share the plan for 2026!

#FortField #PollinatorProject #Community #Biodiversity #Guernsey

 

 

We are very pleased to announce the winner of the Barry Wells Young Photographer of the Year Competition. Well done Florence!

Our winner is Florence Brookes aged 8 who goes to Castel Primary School! She entered last year and has always been interested in nature. From earthworms to bugs and butterflies, she’s always been fascinated and entered her photo just for the fun of it. Although Florence didn’t realise it at the time, she has won £500 to spend on whatever she likes. Maybe it will be a new camera?

Florence’s photo of a Speckled Wood butterfly caught the eye of all our judges. It’s good to see butterflies get recognition, as they are excellent and important pollinators. We always tend to think bees, but moths, flies, butterflies all have their role to play. And it’s good to see the butterfly on an Echinacea from a garden demonstrating the important role that gardens have in supporting our pollinators, especially later in the summer when these cone flowers are still flowering and often our native flowers are wilting or have set seed already.

The contrasting chocolate brown of the butterfly contrasting with the bright pink of the flower caught our attention and the close focus on the butterfly allowing everyone to see the detail of its antennae, front legs and if you look closely even its tongue probing for nectar. The hairiness of its body contracts with the tiny flat scales on the wings that reflect light to give it its unique colouration.

The Speckled Wood? It’s a native butterfly and is doing relatively well in the face of climate change. Often found at the edge of woods or scrub it loves dappled sunshine and is happy to fly even in overcast conditions when most butterflies are not on the wing. Males are quite territorial and will defend an area whereas females flit wherever the fancy takes them. They feed from the flowers, sucking up nectar but will also suck up honeydew-the waste product from aphids which we normally think of as food for ants.

You’ll be lucky to see the Speckled Wood at this time of year, a few might overwinter, and you might have seen them feeding on ivy flowers right into November. Most adults have died off by December, but their eggs, larvae and pupae are out there close to the caterpillars’ food plants which include grasses like Yorkshire Fog and Annual Meadow Grass. Often the first butterfly to emerge in the Spring it’s also the last to be seen.

We had photos of all sorts of pollinators for the 2026 competition, bees, butterflies, moths, flies and more. We are very grateful to Barry’s family who allowed donations in his memory to be used for the sponsorship of this award and also to Guernsey Arts for organising and running the Bailiwick Wildlife Photographers Exhibition and their sponsor Mourant.

 

A huge thank you to all the amazing volunteers who joined us this morning at Fort Field!

Together, we planted 10 fruit trees to create a mini-orchard. Each tree has its own land drain tube for efficient watering, and soon we’ll be adding wood chip mulch to keep weeds at bay and reduce evaporation which will help the trees to thrive. Plus, a picnic bench is on the way so everyone can relax among the fruit trees and enjoy views of the wildflower meadow.

We also prepared a 30m strip behind the orchard for a double row of native hedging. The turf we removed was reused to build a bee bank at the bramble patch—giving solitary bees a new home and helping keep the brambles in check.

There’s still more to do! We’ll be planting the native hedging soon, so keep an eye out for details about our next work party.

Thank you again to everyone who gave their time and energy today—you’re making a real difference in our community! 🌱💚

We’ll be working up at Fort Field on Sunday 25th January 2026 at 10:00. We’ll be planting some more native hedging and our 10 fruit trees which will create a mini-orchard.

If you fancy some outdoor fun why not join us? All you need is a pair of gloves and a spade!

A full tree survey led by the Agriculture, Countryside and Land Management Services (ACLMS) team, in partnership with The Pollinator Project, is being conducted at Fort Field. This survey will help create a long-term management plan for the trees, ensuring each one is identified and cared for.

The Pollinator Project is especially focused on the resistant Elms, which are in the area managed under a new 3-year agreement with ACLMS. The plan will assess the health and future of these trees, and highlight any maintenance needed to keep them safe and thriving.

Sadly, while these Elms resist Dutch Elm Disease, they aren’t ideal for our weather—many have branches that break in strong winds (this photo was taken after Storm Goretti passed through on Thursday night) and some are even starting to lean!

That’s why The Pollinator Project, together with Guernsey Trees for Life, will be planting new native species (like Oak) in the area. These young trees will boost biodiversity and be ready to take over when the Elms reach the end of their lives.

This is a good example of public and third sector groups working together for a greener, more biodiverse future for all Islanders!