WILDLIFE enthusiasts are to be given access to binoculars and information panels to identify their favourite marine animals and birds at a number of vantage points around the Isle of Man.
The project, which involves five different sites around the coastline, has been planned for some time but has now been given a kickstart with a donation from Barclays Wealth.
The Manx Wildlife Trustwill use the Barclays donation of £1,600 to begin the scheme which will see interpretation panels about basking sharks, whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals and sea birds at Marine Drive, Port St Mary, Bradda Glen, Niarbyl and Peel breakwater.
Visitors will also be given free access to fixed sets of powerful binoculars at each site, starting with the first set being installed at Niarbyl.
The Manx Wildlife Trust said today, “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.”
The Trust said it 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.
Two of the staff from Barclays Wealth - 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 1970s Lough Gat-y-Whing has been owned by Waveny and Peter Jenkins and Waveny’s father, who have protected the site.
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 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 a 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.
