Isles of Scilly Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

Sustainable Development Fund 2011-2012

The Isles of Scilly AONB Partnership has awarded £29,388 to seven projects in 2011-2012.

Projects supported so far include:

- Quay Partners, The Duchy of Cornwall. This project involves the purchase of a quay hoist for use by different sectors of the marine industry, such as the Fisherman's Association and local boatmen. The hoist will improve the current sitution on St Mary's Quay by ensuring that goods are moved on and off the Quay in a quick and safe manner.

Award £6,000

- The Sussex Gig Shed, Tresco and Bryher Gig Club. This project involves developing the Sussex Gig Shed on Bryher to house the Alfie Jenkins Gig in a suitable environment, as well as promoting the tradition of Gig Rowing in Scilly.

Award £4,500

Both these projects are also recieving funding through the Isles of Scilly Local Action Group (LAG).

Scilly's Young People visit to Goblin Combe

The AONB Unit alongside the Council of the Isles of Scilly's Children's Services Team offered young people in Scilly the opportunity to visit Goblin Combe Lodge this August.

Nestled in 130 acres of semi-ancient woodland, the Goblin Combe Lodge offered the young people of Scilly the chance to discover habitats and wildlife not found on the islands.

The trip was packed full of exiciting, and sometimes adventerous acitivites such as caving with the Mendip Hills AONB Young Rangers, woodland dusk walks, bush-craft and den building as well as dry stone walling.

Helen McGuinness, Childcare and Youth Officer said 'We all had a wonderful time! Everyone was motivated and inspired by the woodland surroundings of Goblin Combe'.

Isles of Scilly Honeybee Project

The Isles of Scilly honeybee populations were recently given 'healthy status' by a local Fera (Food, Environment Research Agency) Bee Inspector.

The AONB Unit and the Islands' bee-keepers are working together to make sure that the threat of bee pathogens and diseases are minimised in Scilly by:

1. Raising awareness at the local and regional level;

2. Purchasing bee-keeping equipment to share amongst the Islands' bee keepers. Bee-keepers are now able to produce wax locally, rather than introducing potentially contaminated wax from the mainland;

3. Encouraging bee-keepers to share information and knowledge with other UK areas that are disease-free, such as the Isle of Colonsay off the Scottish Coast.

The Isles of Scilly Seabird Recovery Project

The Isles of Scilly support a large number of breeding Seabirds. Species such as Storm Petrel, Manx Shearwater, Shag and Lesser Black-Backed Gulls are a vital component of the Isles of Scilly Special Protection Area (SPA).

Recently, Seabirds in Scilly have begun to decline due to a range of factors, the most significant of which is the predation of eggs and chicks by rats.

The RSPB, Natural England and the Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust, with support from the Isles of Scilly AONB Partnership, commissioned New Zealand based firm, Wildlife Management International (WMI), to assess the feasibility of removing brown rats from Scilly.

The feasibility study concluded that it is currently feasible to remove brown rats from the Islands of St Agnes and Gugh. These Islands already support a large concentration of breeding seabirds and could support many more. They are separated from the other Islands by a deep channel of water, limiting the scope for recolonisation. There is 100% commitment from the community, a significant advantage in the success of this project.

The project partners are presently applying for funding to implement this project.

The Isles of Scilly AONB Unit is working with the project leaders to highlight the importance of the proposed work and to maintain and enhance public understanding and support for the project.

Turning the tide on Marine Litter

Once again this year the Isles of Scilly AONB Unit coordinated the Marine Conservation Socities (MCS) Big Watch Beach Clean Event in Scilly.

Porth Hellick Beach on St Mary's was given a thorough clean on Saturday 17th September. Volunteers, both resident and visitors alike, collected over 20kgs of rubbish, which varied from plastic netting and fishing lines, to food containers from overseas!

This event highlights the signifcant threat marine borne litter poses in Scilly. Information on the litter gathered from this beach clean will help the MCS gain a better picture of what's happening to our fragile marine environment.

The AONB Unit would like to thank the volunteers who helped clean Porth Hellick Beach, and in doing so making a real difference to their local environment.

Isles of Scilly Inter-Island Walk

The Isles of Scilly possess stunning coastal scenery with diverse marine and coastal resources offering a clean, healthy and safe environment for wildlife and people.

Organised by Clare Lewis (also the AONB Unit's Environmental Awareness Coordinator), the Inter-Island Walk allows residents and visitors the rare opportunity to walk across the Islands during the Spring low tides.

Life in Scilly is dominated by the sea and contributes to the character of the AONB. At no time is this more apparent than during Spring low tides. The Islands appear larger in size, rising high out of the water. They stretch across newly exposed expanses of sand flats towards their neighbours, making it easy to see that the Islands were once a single landmass.

As vast sand flats are exposed, so too are some of the marine flora and fauna associated with them, including vast numbers of seven-armed starfish, seaweeds, sponges and anemones.

The event raised money for charities including the RNLI, The Marine Conservation Society, Surfers Against Sewage and the Isles of Scilly Seabird Recovery Project. 

What's on in the AONB?

Go Green Courses

October is Sustainability month in Scilly. The Council of the Isles of Scilly Lifelong Learning Centre has developed a range of courses dedicated to helping businesses in Scilly 'Go Green'.

- Level 2 Certificate in Environmental Principles- Tuesday 11th October, 9-5p.m Life Long Learning Centre, St Mary's

- Go Business Green Seminar- Tuesday 18th October, Life Long Learning Centre, St Mary's.

- Grow Your Own Course - Saturday 15th October, Scilly Organics, St Martin's.

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Inspirational & Thought Provoking Lectures

'Nature people: Stepping Stones in the history of the idea of Sustainability'- Dr Robert Lambert from the University of Nottingham.                                                                                               

                 £3 12/10/11 @ The Church Hall, St Mary's  7-8.30p.m

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'Cultures of Extinction: lamented birds, looked for birds and laughed at birds'- Dr Robert Lambert from the University of Nottingham.

                   £3 19/10/11 @ The Church Hall, St Mary's  7-8.30p.m

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'How Climate Change will affect and shape the Isles of Scilly over the next 50-100 years'- David Senior, Environment and Climate Change Officer, Council of the Isles of Scilly.

                  £3  26/10/11 @ The Church Hall, St Mary's  7-8.30p.m

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For more information, or to register on any of these courses please contact the Life Long Learning Team:

          01720 423561 / lifelonglearning@scilly.gov.uk

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Also this month look out for.....

Educational Activities within the AONB- The AONB Unit will be teaming up with the RSPB's Wildlife Explorers Club (WEX) and the Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust to deliver activities on birds, bats, moths, plus much, much more!

The AONB Unit and the Five Islands School Green Team Beach Cleans in the AONB- Another programme of beach cleans planned with the Green Team. Keep an eye on Twitter @scillyaonb and on our website www.ios-aonb.info for more information.

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