Sour Fig Removal with the Guernsey Conservation Volunteers

Sour Fig Removal with the Guernsey Conservation Volunteers

Last weekend, Alderney was visited by sixteen incredible Guernsey Conservation Volunteers (GCV)!

Together, the AWT and GCV, along with Alderney’s own Conservation Volunteers, took to Saye Beach to rid our island of as much invasive Sour Fig (Carpobrotus edulisis) as possible.
Sour Fig Pulling (R Burcham)

The GCV were formed in 1996 and since then they have worked hard to conserve Guernsey’s environment. Tasks the GCV undertake include reed bed clearing, tree care and removing invasive species, with Sour Fig eradication being one of their key projects. This is the second year the GCV have joined forces with us against Sour Fig. However, they have travelled over before to help with other tasks (such as tree planting).

Sour Fig is a species of succulent plant which is native to South Africa, with it first being recorded in Alderney in 1953, although its introduction is believed to be earlier. While it can be considered a ‘pretty’ plant with a pink and yellow flower, it is also one of the biggest threats to Alderney’s coastal habitats. The species is also a leading threat to Guernsey’s natural world (with it being introduced to the island in 1886 as a garden plant).

Sour Fig is a flat-growing plant which threatens other species by forming dense mats, making them hard to penetrate, and also spreads easily. New patches can grow quickly from small pieces of the stem. Sour Fig threatens Alderney’s coastal grasslands, home to many native wildflowers and grasses including the endemic Alderney Sea Lavender.

Sour Fig Pull with GCV (R Burcham)
Sour Fig

At the end of 2021, our Conservation Officer mapped the distribution of Sour Fig on Alderney, allowing us to prioritise areas for eradication. One such area is Saye Beach, where Sour Fig threatens the Marram Grass, which helps stabilize the sand dunes (a natural flood defence).

On Saturday, there were over thirty of us who took to Saye with our gloves on and bags in hand. We pulled the Sour Fig out from the roots for six hours and filled a whole tip and several trucks worth with the species, which was later taken away to be incinerated.

Girl and Dad at Sour Fig Pull (R Burcham)

As someone who hasn’t been to Guernsey (if you don’t include the brief reroute during a windy flight from Southampton to Alderney), it was fascinating to discuss with the GCV about other threats that their environment faces and the actions they take to help protect it. Another invasive species that is present in Guernsey (but hasn’t been recorded in Alderney) is Cape Ivy, a plant species originating from South Africa which grows in thick masses, preventing native plants from growing. It can also be toxic to some animals and is one of the GCV’s main focuses next to Sour Fig.

I noticed that not only did we share a passion to help our natural world, but a commonality we seemed to have was the benefits we find as individuals when being outside. This included stepping away from technology, socialising with like-minded people and getting physical exercise. One member of the GCV summarised this last point perfectly: “It’s cheaper than the gym”. And it certainly is!

AWT and GCV (R Burcham)

It was fantastic to see people from Alderney and Guernsey coming together to fight against these species which threaten our native wildlife, especially as we were joined by a few children who got involved with the task. It was particularly refreshing to see young people actively getting involved in protecting the future of the island!

From all of us at the Trust, we want to say a huge thank you to the GCV and Alderney’s volunteers who helped us fight against the fig!

To find out more about the Guernsey Conservation Volunteers, please visit: https://gcv.org.uk/