Island hosts inter-island environment summit

Environmental experts, conservation groups and businesses from across the British Isles and France have gathered in Guernsey for the 26th Inter-Island Environment Meeting.

The annual event, co-ordinated by the Guernsey Nature Commission, brings together delegates to share ideas and develop joint projects aimed at protecting the natural environment.

This year's theme, Nature for the Next Generation, includes talks on subjects ranging from seabird restoration and woodland resilience to butterfly monitoring in Sark and citizen science projects.

A Sixth Form Environment Meeting gave young people the chance to present environmental issues that matter to them and contribute ideas for the future.

Students will take part in workshops linked to Guernsey's upcoming Marine Spatial Plan, helping shape discussions about the future protection and management of the island's seas.

Angela Salmon, head of education at the Nature Commission and a member of the meeting group said inviting sixth formers to share the environmental issues that mattered to them "makes perfect sense".

Among those attending was Sebastian Dufour, an independent consultant for the Alderney Wildlife Trust, who joined a field trip to Lihou Island exploring its ecology and archaeology.

He said he had learned about a Benedictine Priory site "which is very interesting" and discovered there had been "a really remarkably large industry in harvesting seaweed".

Dufour said he particularly valued the collaborative nature of the event, adding: "We're all coming from different islands and we're all facing similar challenges."

He said the annual meeting provided an opportunity to "learn from each other" and "share our successes and failures and everything".

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