Message from the Executive Director |
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I am delighted to have now started as Executive Director of the Trust. It is truly an honour to have been trusted with the responsibility to take up the baton and lead this wonderful organisation forward at such a critical time.
The past 18 months have been challenging for the nonprofit sector generally and the Trust is no exception. I have been very impressed with the resilience and adaptability that the staff have shown. Despite difficult circumstances and reduced funds, the work of the Trust has continued and much has been achieved, from electrical renovations at Verdmont, to curriculum-aligned online classes for students during lockdowns, to the development of a new website (which we plan to launch soon) and much more. All this, as well as the day-to-day business of looking after 82 properties totalling 277 acres!
Even after some 30 years as a member and ten years on the Council, I continue to be amazed by the scope of the Trust’s work. My first week on the job has confirmed that there is still much to learn about this complex organisation.
With 51 proud years of history behind it, the Trust has stood the test of time. As we begin the next half-century, the Trust team and I look forward to expanding and deepening connections with all sections of the local community and offering fun new ways to engage with our shared heritage. We will continue to demonstrate to you, our members and donors, that this organisation deserves your generous support to carry out its important work for Bermuda and remains firmly focused on its core mission to conserve and promote Bermuda’s natural and cultural heritage for everyone, forever.
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Karen Border
Executive Director
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Saving Wantley: an Update |
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Following a public outcry in mid-June, the proposed demolition of Wantley on Princess Street was halted when the Planning Department advised that permission to demolish had been granted erroneously, and in fact needed to follow the planning process because Wantley is in a designated Historic Area. A subsequent application for demolition by property owner the Bermuda Housing Corporation was rejected by Planning.
Some three weeks after Wantley faced the wrecking ball, Minister of Home Affairs Walter Roban unveiled the draft North East Hamilton Local Plan 2021, listing the Princess Street District, including Wantley, as a Historic Area requiring special protection. Objectives of the plan, which will not come into effect until 2022, include: To support the retention and restoration of the Wantley building in recognition of its historical and architectural contribution to the area.
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The National Trust continues to work with “Wantley Matters”, a group led by Maxine Esdaille and supported by the Berkeley Educational Society (BES) and Berkeley Institute Board of Governors along with other organisations and individuals. The group’s goal is to save Wantley from demolition and determine a future use for it that respects it as a building of exceptional historic and architectural value to Bermuda and Bermudians. In the 18th century it was the site of meetings of the BES, a group dedicated to providing integrated and improved education for Black and White Bermudians. These meetings led to the establishment of the Berkeley Institute in 1897 at Samaritans' Lodge on Court Street.
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The Heat Is On!
But don't forget, our green spaces help keep us cool.
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In this hot and heavy weather, remember our green spaces, which are cooling and purifying our air. In other words, it would be hotter without them! Bermuda National Trust’s nature reserves cover 250 acres of the island with Buy Back Bermuda and Bermuda Audubon Society contributing an additional 14 and 60 acres respectively.
However, these special places cannot be left to their own devices and nature reserves require care and resources. Neglect results in a tsunami of invasive species, which overtake the native and endemic species, causing the loss of Bermuda’s plant biological diversity and, as a result, our unique range of birds, animals and insects. That is just not cool at all!
Once again, a huge thank you to the hundreds of volunteers who contributed time and effort in June to work in the reserves to help improve them, enhancing the quality of life for our community.
Myles Darrell, Head of Natural Heritage
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Appleby Global at Sherwin Nature Reserve |
The team from Appleby Global came on Friday, 25 June with their A-game and delivered the goods. From the start, they were determined to leave their mark and they did a spectacular job.
Sherwin Nature Reserve covers a 14.5-acre area in the centre of Warwick, visible from Middle Road and from the Tribe Road on its south side. Habitats within the reserve are exceptionally diverse – from wetland and pond to Spice-dominated woodland. We worked in both the north and south reserves, clearing and making the trails safe and planting trees.
When work was completed, a loop track had been reestablished through the forest, from the parking lot, along pond side trails, past the arable field, over the Railway Trail and into the upland forest before returning to the pond via Tribe Road #3. This project will enable recreational and educational access to the area for our schools programmes and the general community.
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Other volunteers planted native and endemic trees throughout the reserve, resulting in a significant contribution to the area’s biodiversity. One young person in the group experienced the joy of planting their first tree ever!
Tribe Road #3 had been inundated with debris since Hurricane Humberto passed in 2019 and while it is not Trust property, we wanted to make a good space for all the walkers and neighbours who have struggled to gain access. While we were working, more than a dozen neighbours came out to thank us and cheer us on; that felt good. More than four cubic yards of horticultural waste were collected from the Tribe Road alone.
Volunteers had the opportunity to work with Bermuda’s own superstar and natural heritage pioneer, Dr David Wingate. He was on hand to oversee and assist – along with a number of BNT staff who came out to lend their support to the Appleby group. Thank you to all for this meaningful and impactful day.
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Sherwin Nature Reserve, colloquially known as Warwick Pond, is part of a long chain of wetlands that originally stretched from Barnes Corner at the west end of Southampton Parish to Spittal Pond in Smith’s Parish, and may be seen here and there in areas where the marshland was not filled in as a means of mosquito control. |
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Members' Volunteer Day at Scaur Lodge |
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June’s volunteer project at Scaur Lodge in Somerset was a delight, and the team was super-charged with positive energy. This reserve has been undergoing a transformation over the last few years and the local community let us know how appreciative they are. We were heaped with praise while we worked – pruning invasive species, mulching juvenile trees, and planting more trees and shrubs. Neighbours brought us drinks and freshly-picked peaches to keep us going as the intense heat and humidity reminded us summer is here. The juvenile trees planted on the last volunteer visit more than a year ago were looking good but needed our help, as invasives were starting to overgrow and our clearing and mulching was timely.
On this visit we started planting shrubs (Box Briar, Jamaican Dogwood) and ground covers (Turnera and Inkberry) to increase diversity. For the same reason, we planted two Yellowwood trees at which time we were privileged to have a short lecture about their history from Dr David Wingate. This was David’s first visit to the reserve and he shared his exuberance with the team. David and I also demonstrated how to plant a tree. It seems a simple task but there is a best practice and everyone was happy to learn from David’s more than 60 years’ experience. Inspired and informed, we got back to work and added more trees and palms, strengthening the existing endemic flora.
It was encouraging to see Jamaican dogwoods self-seeding in the upland areas, fulfilling one of our goals at the BNT. Conservation efforts cannot stop until we get to a point where our native and endemic flora can reproduce and develop on their own, combatting invasive species and reestablishing their dominance in the landscape.
Mulch was spread out under juvenile trees to manage drought conditions that typically occur at this time of year and also to provide nutrients and suppress weeds. If you have some free time and want to take in some of Bermuda’s most stunning ocean views, take a trip to Scaur Lodge and enjoy a break under the beautiful mature Olivewood trees.
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Somersfield Community Service Day |
More than 40 Somersfield M1 and M4 students worked on cleaning up our plant nursery space at “Pond House” in Devonshire as part of their 29 June community service day. The students undertook various tasks, pruning, potting plants, stacking bricks, mulching banana trees, and loading our truck with more than three cubic yards of horticultural waste. Another half ton of general waste was taken to the Tynes Bay waste treatment facility.
This project has generated quite a buzz for the students and teachers were delighted that their contribution had made such a difference.
Although the work was arduous, there were many teachable moments. At the Trust we know learning occurs all the time and we feel teaching is best done, contextualized, and integrated into real-life situations. At Somersfield they feel similarly and for this reason, we are working to create a co-curricular class that will take place right in our nursery, enabling students to have more of these moments. Recent studies have shown that moving study to the outdoors increases the level of creativity and motivation and, typically, relationships are strengthened. BNT is happy to be part of this process, especially strengthening community relations.
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Saltus Students at Butterfield NR |
Around 40 Saltus M4 students descended on Butterfield Nature Reserve on 15 and 16 June. The heat and humidity did not phase them, and they got straight into the work after a brief overview of the project. The area was in real need of some attention and we were able to almost fill a 12-yard skip with horticultural waste in just a few hours.
The students were motivated and a joy to work with. While tidying up the lower reserve by clearing out invasive species and providing some formative pruning to desirable exotics, we were able to pick bucket loads of Heliconia flowers to share with neighbours and friends. Day 2 was equally positive and this team completed filling the skip and planted at least a dozen trees – all in the pouring rain!
The students were an inspiration to work with and made a real difference at the reserve. We hope they’ll be back! Also, thank you to the neighbours who came out with encouragement. Some already make a contribution by working on the perimeter of this reserve. With our newly-approved Conservation Management Plan, we look forward to further improvements to this beautiful space – and more collaboration with those living in the neighbourhood.
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Above: The former Parks Department headquarters today. |
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Former Parks Department Headquarters, Botanical Gardens |
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This post is part of a series of architectural articles by the Bermuda National Trust to highlight some of Bermuda's endangered historic buildings.
by Linda Abend and Margie Lloyd
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Surely, in the 21st century, a solution can be found to the problem of old buildings affected by mould and mildew. Rather than simply abandoning and subsequently demolishing them, they should be revitalised and made useful again. A good example is the Parks Department headquarters in the Botanical Gardens – a Grade 3 Listed Building – formerly the Director of Agriculture’s residence.
Under the Public Garden Act 1896, ten acres in Paget East were purchased for the purpose of establishing and maintaining an experimental station to assist farmers in the development of agriculture and horticulture. Responsibility for its supervision and control was handed over to the Board of Agriculture, and George Arthur Bishop, recommended by the Director of the Royal Gardens at Kew, arrived in May 1898 to take up his position as its first superintendent. A notice for tenders to build a cottage within the grounds had only been advertised a few weeks earlier so it is not surprising that Bishop and his family were obliged to live temporarily at nearby Seabright.
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Above: The Director's residence when it was photographed in 1990 |
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Recognition for a “Guiding Light” |
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The Trust congratulates Margie Lloyd who has been presented with the Cedar Chair Award, given annually by the English Speaking Union to individuals “who work hard behind the scenes on causes which have provided real benefit to the community”. The inspiring story of Margie’s leadership of the Bermuda’s Architectural Heritage project was relayed to those gathered at the award ceremony on 16 June.
Margie and her friend Rosemary Clipper started the Old House Survey in 1992. This involved identifying buildings marked on Lieutenant Savage’s 1899 ordnance map – then heading out into the field to some 4,000 sites to determine which buildings were still standing and if so in what condition. It also involved filling out a comprehensive worksheet, taking photographs and drawing roof plans. Out of this project sprang the parish-by-parish architectural book series.
“Throughout these last 30 years Margie has been our guiding light,” notes Linda Abend, who has worked with Margie from the start. “She never tires and is relentless in her determination to leave no stone unturned…It has been a great privilege working with Margie. She has been a real role model for getting things done and getting them done right.”
The outcome so far is nine books published – City of Hamilton plus eight parishes, with the final “Southampton” in the pipeline for release in 2022.
The always modest Margie notes that the books project has involved the work of a team of dedicated volunteers and could not have been done otherwise. In addition, Bacardi International has sponsored the books from the start.
“Margie is a role model and the books project is a remarkable case study in how success can be achieved with the benefit of great leadership,” says Karen Border, Executive Director. “We are proud of Margie and her work, and grateful for everything she does for the Trust. Ultimately, she has ensured that Bermuda will never forget the history of the people who built and lived in the buildings distinguished by their unique architecture that grew organically from Bermuda’s own natural resources, refined by our cultural diversity. Thank you, Margie!"
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Congratulations to Dr Clarence Maxwell! |
In the Queen’s Birthday Honours Dr Clarence Maxwell was awarded a Queen’s Certificate and Badge of Honour for “services to culture and Bermuda history”. Dr Maxwell is the author of the Pembroke volume of our Architectural Heritage series as well as of Prudent Rebels, published by the National Museum of Bermuda, and many learned articles. We send him our heartiest congratulations and thanks again for all the hard work he put in on our book.
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AGM & Trust Talk at Government House:
Thursday, July 22, 5:30 pm.
Virtual Trust Talk: Joseph Packwood, The Boy in the Painting
Thursday, August 12, 6:00 pm
Auction & Jumble Sale
September 26 - October 2
Save the Date: Annual Fundraising Dinner
Saturday, November 6 - Stay tuned for more information!
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The Bermudian Heritage Museum is open! |
The Bermudian Heritage Museum in St. George's is open once again! They have successfully completed upgrades to some of the exhibits and interior of the building.
Opened in 1998, the Bermuda Heritage Museum charts the history of enslavement in Bermuda and honours the social, cultural and political accomplishments of black Bermudians, from pre-emancipation to the present day. The museum is also a stop on the African Diaspora Heritage Trail.
Show your support and visit them from Tuesday to Thursday; they are open from 10:00 am until 2:30 pm.
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