Agriculture, Countryside and Land Management Services pushed ahead with the restoration project despite the opposition seen at the time, under the guidelines set by the island's Biodiversity Strategy.

It was paid for through funds claimed from the mitigation of the Airport Pavement Project, because the benefits of the Icart project were aimed at offsetting the environmental impacts caused by the work completed on the airfield in 2014, by the subsequent loss of agricultural fields to the Western end of the runway.

Pictured: Guernsey Airport's runway. 

The aim of the Icart project was to reinstate an area which had previously been dry grassland and which had supported a wide range of plants, insects and birds.

At the time, biodiversity experts said that without the restoration and ongoing management, the ecological value of this site would have continued to decline as bracken, bramble, gorse and blackthorn would continue to outcompete the more delicate flora.

Now the area is covered in wild flowers, including Bluebells and ACLMS said "this success story is proof of the ability of nature to recover when given the opportunity and successful management".

Our habitat restoration project at Icart is paying dividends - for walkers and for wildlife alike.https://t.co/VKFaxJzYHW

— Lindsay de Sausmarez (@Lindsay_Gsy) May 2, 2020

As well as bluebells, there are red campion, sea campion, foxgloves, sheep’s bit and ox-eye daisy now growing at Icart.

ACLMS said the South coast cliffs are designated as a Site of Special Significance (SSS) partly because of the area's flora, which provide a source of food for insects, and in turn, insect eating birds and bats.

Since the clearing of bracken and scrub from the site, trees have been planted and it is hoped that later in the year the area can be grazed by La Société Guernesiaise’s Conservation Herd.

There are paths on the outskirts of the field so visitors to the area can walk around the wildflowers to enjoy the views.

Pictured top: Icart.