Alderney State of Nature

About

The Alderney Wildlife Trust (AWT) is delivering a three-year project to develop a State of Nature assessment for Alderney. The project aims to understand how key species and habitats on Alderney and within its territorial waters have changed over time, and to make this information available to anyone interested in the natural world. The assessment will also help ensure the AWT’s conservation management is best targeted to the most important and effective actions in its reserves.

The Alderney State of Nature project draws on current reports and methods developed in the UK and EU, adapted to suit Alderney’s unique environment. Over the course of the project, the island’s key species and habitats have been identified, reflecting their importance for global and local conservation, as well as their relevance to Alderney’s community. The list of key habitats and species can be viewed on our website here. The remaining phase of the project will focus on assessing patterns of change for these key species and habitats, and whether they are currently in favourable conservation status. This builds on over twenty years of baseline data collected by the AWT across a wide range of species and habitats, with the project aiming to make as much of this information publicly available as possible via the Alderney Biodiversity Centre.

An integral part of the project has been enabling members of Alderney’s community to get involved with wildlife recording. Throughout the project, the AWT has run been running regular engagement events to encourage new volunteer recorders, alongside training opportunities for existing volunteers to support skill development and recognise the valuable contribution of those helping to collect biological data for the Alderney State of Nature assessment.

This project marks a significant milestone in the AWT’s continued work to study, champion, and protect Alderney’s wildlife. With the project entering its final months, further updates will be shared as the assessment is completed and key findings are published. The Alderney State of Nature project is funded by the Social Investment Fund Guernsey (SIF) and provides funding for one full-time and one part-time member of staff until August 2026, as well as for hosting events and training that support community involvement in biological recording.