Staff, Operators, Partners and Funders

Project funders

The project would not have been possible without our funders – thank you. The project is funded by LIFE, the EU’s financial instrument for the environment, and the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Project staff

The following staff were hosting the conference

	Project Manager,  Jaclyn Pearson
	Project Officer,  Lydia Titterton
	Project Officer,  Dr Vickie Heaney
	Project Assistant,  Holly Paget-Brown
	Project Supervisor,  Paul St Pierre

The community of St Agnes and Gugh

Approximately 84 people live on St Agnes and Gugh, making this project the largest community-based island restoration project in the world to date (October 2017). The residents of St Agnes and Gugh have provided 100% support for the project, and 32 community members are registered volunteers carrying out biosecurity checks to keep the islands rat-free.

Project Partners

The project is run by a partnership of organisations; RSPB, Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust, Natural England, Duchy of Cornwall, Isles of Scilly Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), and a representative of St Agnes and Gugh

RSPB

Together with our partners, we protect threatened birds and wildlife so our towns, coast and countryside will teem with life once again. We play a leading role in BirdLife International, a worldwide partnership of nature conservation organisations.

Steering group members: Paul Buckley, Regional Conservation Manager and Leigh Lock, Senior Species Recovery Officer.

Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust

The Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust is the only local charity responsible for looking after the landscapes and historical sites of the islands. The Trust cares for 64 percent of the land, beaches and rocky foreshore that makes up Scilly (over 1700 hectares), including all of the uninhabited islands and most of the coastline of St Mary's, St Agnes, Bryher and St Martin's.

Our aims are to conserve and restore the landscapes and archaeological sites of Scilly whilst providing access and information to the public including keeping paths open, running events and activities and producing leaflets and interpretation boards. The Trust is managed by a Board of Trustees elected from its membership who provide the strategic direction for the development of the Trust.

Steering Group member: Sarah Mason, Chief Executive Officer

Isles of Scilly Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)

The Isles of Scilly are the smallest AONB designation in the UK. However, the Islands possess a diversity of scenery that belies their small scale. Panoramas of sea and sky are punctuated by lenses of low-lying land. The archipelago combines rugged granite cliffs and headlands, sparkling sandy bays, hidden coves, shifting dunes and saline lagoons. Over 6,000 years of human occupation has led to the development of the lowland heath, enclosed pasture, hedged bulb-strips, small harbours’ and quays, and scattered rural settlement punctuated by tiny townships.

The AONB designation recognises that people are an important part of the landscape, ensuring that its resources are protected, managed and capable of evolving in a sustainable way. Indeed landscape conservation and economic prosperity are inseparably tied in Scilly.

Steering Group member: Julian Pearce, Senior Officer: Physical Assets and Natural Resources

The Duchy of Cornwall

The Duchy of Cornwall is a private estate which funds the public, charitable and private activities of The Prince of Wales and his family. The Duchy consists of around 53,154 hectares of land in 24 counties, mostly in the South West of England. The Isles of Scilly have been part of the Duchy of Cornwall since its foundation in the 14th Century. The Duke of Cornwall has shown a strong personal interest in environmental issues for decades. The long history of the Duchy and the Duke’s own commitment to pass the estate down to his successors in a better and stronger condition requires a long-term stewardship approach.

Steering Group member: Will Garratt, Estate Assistant, Duchy of Cornwall

Natural England

Natural England is an Executive Non-departmental Public Body responsible to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Our purpose is to protect and improve England’s natural environment and encourage people to enjoy and get involved in their surroundings. Our broad remit means that our reach extends across the country. We work with people such as farmers, town and country planners, researchers and scientists, and the general public on a range of schemes and initiatives. Put simply, our aim is to create a better natural environment that covers all of our urban, country and coastal landscapes, along with all of the animals, plants and other organisms that live with us.

Steering Group member: Kate Sugar, Marine Lead Advisor

Representative of St Agnes and Gugh

Richard McCarthy

Project operators

The project operators expertise and skills were essential to delivering the project. 

Wildlife Management International Limited (WMIL)

New Zealand-based conservation consultancy specialising in island restoration. They completed the rat removal work in 2013/2014 and the final check in 2016. They have undertaken over 25 eradications around the world.

Spalding Associates

Spalding Associates carried out the ecological surveys of ‘wider species’ - invertebrates, Scilly shrews, rabbits and vegetation to monitor and assess the impact of the project on these species.