Ascension : Conservation Weekly
Submitted by The Islander (Conservation Office) 17.11.2011 (Article Archived on 01.12.2011)
We would like to welcome Liza White to the Conservation Team, she joined us last week as the new Field Project Officer on the OTEP funded project.
Conservation Staff Updates
We would like to welcome Liza White to the Conservation Team, she joined us last week as the new Field Project Officer on the OTEP funded project.
First week in my new job with the conservation department.
by Liza White
Liza White
As many people will know, I am now working for the Ascension Conservation Department, having moved down from Traveller’s Hill where I worked with Interserve Defence for the past four and a half years.
My first week was busy settling in, not only to my new house in Georgetown, but to my new job as Field Project Officer for a new Overseas Territories Environment Programme (OTEP) funded project – An Ecosystem Approach to Plant Conservation on Ascension Island. Along with the current conservation staff, I will be working on this project with a new member, Catherine Supple, who is due to arrive on Monday 14th November.
My first week at work was very enjoyable, getting out and about around the island. I accompanied the RSPB Seabird Monitoring Team, Nathan and Dane on four of their survey walks around the coast to tag new nests and monitor the development of previously tagged nests and newly hatched chicks. As well as this, I joined the conservation team on one of the observation walks to monitor the spread on any invasive plant species and the growth of the endemic spurge down along the coast from Long Beach round to Comfortless Cove. And, I have been involved with beach walks to monitor this year’s season of Green Turtle nesting, as well as working on one of the endemic plant restoration sites on Green Mountain National Park, learning to identify between the endemic and introduced ferns, and to weed out the invasive plant species from the area.
The new OTEP project aims to develop more restoration sites, both on the upper and lower slopes of Green Mountain, in order to encourage new habitats for the growth of the endemic and native plants of Ascension. I now look forward to the arrival of Catherine and getting started on the project itself.
Liza on Coastal Observation walk to Comfortless Cove
Please be advised that due to on-going field work the Conservation Office will open from 7.30am -10am during week days. We open as normal on Saturdays, 10am-12noon. Volunteers welcome. Please contact Natasha Williams. Ascension Island Conservation Department. Georgetown. Tel: 6359.Email: natasha.williams@ascension.gov.ac
|
