New grazing land and path approved at Icart

Tuesday 24 April 2018

Planning permission has been granted for the clearance of an area of bracken and scrub on States-owned land at Icart, to restore it to a dry grassland habitat.

The approved plans will also see a new pathway created, which will be part of the restoration of an old walking loop.

The return of grazing to the cliffs has long been promoted, as scrub and bracken has taken over many areas leading to a reduction in biodiversity.  It is said that by reintroducing grazing, coastal grassland and heath will be restored and the diversity of wildlife will increase. The area will be grazed each autumn by La Société Guernesiaise’s Conservation Herd of Guernsey steers.

“Conservation grazing is used to maintain the structure and composition on which a variety of plants and wildlife depend," Donna Francis from RSPB Guernsey said.

"Conserving varied habitats and creating green corridors is key to supporting a healthy balance of plants and wildlife.   We are pleased to give our support to this dry grassland project.”

Under the Planning conditions, a landscaping scheme detailing the trees and shrubs that will be planted on the site will be submitted to the Authority before work begins. No trees will be felled. Work will begin in August, after the bird breeding season.

“How we use our coastal land has changed over the years. Extensive grazing, which was once a common sight across the cliffs, has largely stopped and so areas of species-rich grasslands, which rely on grazing animals to maintain them, have been lost to bracken and scrub," Julia Henney, Biodiversity Education Officer, said.

"This project is a unique and exciting opportunity to re-dress that loss and protect the biodiversity which rely on coastal grasslands and heathlands.”

Pictured: Icart, VisitGuernsey.