The Manx Wildlife Trust is delighted to announce that an exciting project that the nature conservation charity’s Marine Officer, Eleanor Stone, has been planning for some time, is finally getting underway following a donation of ?1,600 from Barclays Wealth’s local Charity Committee. The Manx Marine Scene project involves setting up a network of coastal sites around the Island with information about our marine wildlife. The wealth of marine animals that may be seen from our coast is incredible but at the moment there is very little information to let the general public know what is out there. At each site there will be interpretation panels about basking sharks, whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals and sea birds, as well as information about the specific location. Plus at each site there will be a fixed set of binoculars. The sites are at Marine Drive, Douglas; Port St Mary ledges; Bradda Glen; Port Erin; Niarbyl and Peel breakwater. The very welcome donation made by Barclays Wealth completed the overall funding required for the project and will be used specifically to purchase the binoculars to be located at Niarbyl. The Manx Wildlife Trust is also very grateful to the other funders of the project –the Isle of Man Government’s Regeneration Scheme, the Manx Lottery Trust and Port St Mary Commissioners – and thanks them for their support. Two of the staff from Barclays Wealth, who presented Eleanor with the donation from the Charity Committee, Mandy Hunter and James Murtagh, were also part of a larger team from the Bank who recently volunteered to help Wildflowers of Mann Project Manager, Andree Dubbeldam, with his pond restoration project at Lough Gat-y-Whing in Smeale. Hosted by the Manx Wildlife Trust, this project is part of the wider Wildflowers of Mann “Dubs for Wildlife” campaign to bring Manx ponds back to life. Since the 1970’s Lough Gat-y-Whing has been owned by Waveny and Peter Jenkins and Waveny’s father, who have protected the site from all harm except that of time and the Wildflowers of Mann mission is to restore the Lough back to the species-rich pond it used to be. By the Autumn of 2011 time had indeed taken its toll on the pond, which had largely become a willow woodland. While willow woodland is a great habitat for many birds and insects, it is common in the north of the Island and the species it supports are also quite common. Open ponds, however, are rapidly scrubbing over in this area and more rare plant species are found in this habitat than any other on the Island. Andree and an intrepid band of volunteers started work at Lough Gat-y-Whing in late September and now over a third of the site has been cleared and the water levels are beginning to rise. Enough willow has been cleared and mud stirred up to find out in the Spring if there is a viable seed bed of plants buried in the silt that will germinate and repopulate the pond. Barclays Wealth’s involvement in the pond restoration project was part of their Make a Difference Day initiative, an annual event which encourages Barclays staff around the world to volunteer their time and skills in support of local causes. The Manx Wildlife Trust would like to thank everyone at the Bank for their support in this respect and also for their help with the Manx Marine Scene project. ENDS