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Islanders are being urged to show their support for proposed fencing at Plémont to protect Jersey's last remaining puffins at a number of drop-in sessions starting this weekend and an online survey.
A section of the seabird reserve fence has been put up as a trial to prevent predators, such as rats and ferrets, from eating their eggs and chicks.
There are believed to be only eight puffins left in Jersey.
The fence is the brainchild of Birds on the Edge, a joint partnership between the National Trust for Jersey, the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, and the government’s natural environment team. It will be placed around 20 metres below the public footpath, east of Plémont headland.
The proposed ‘predator-proof’ fence will create the first-of-its -kind seabird reserve in Europe, according to Birds on the Edge.
Pictured: Cris Sellares, project officer for Birds on the Edge. (Rob Currie)
It will use technology that has been tested across the world, in places, such as Hawaii and New Zealand, to keep out the puffin’s main predators.
A 15-metre demonstration fence can be viewed from the coastal footpath and the bunker near the willow puffin structures.
The partnership have received 199 public consultation forms on the trial fence and want to encourage more Islanders to share their opinions via their survey.
BOTE project manager Cris Sellarés said: "We would like everyone to participate in this survey, which takes less than two minutes to complete, so that we can find out whether our community supports the objectives of this important project.
"We would truly urge anyone interested in our landscapes and wildlife to take part and submit their opinions.
"Equally, we would also be delighted to answer any specific questions by emailing us at enquiries@nationaltrust.je."
The first drop-in session is being hosted by the National Trust for Jersey on Sunday. There are also drop-in sessions for the next month at Plémont, which the partnership are hoping the public will attend between 10:00 and 12:00 every Sunday.
The link to the survey can be found here.
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