In late January 2024, the Société Jersiaise successfully coordinated the removal of an invasive plant from a key area of the St Ouen’s Bay coastal strip, just north of Le Braye. This is an ecologically important Site of Special Interest (SSI). Unfortunately, much of the coastal strip has been over-run by two highly invasive South African succulents called Purple Dewplant (Disphyma crassifolium) and Sour Fig (Carpobrotus edulis). Although attractive, these invasive plants smother all native vegetation and reduce the habitat value for other wildlife.
This is part of a wider coordinated process with the National Trust for Jersey and the Government’s Natural Environment Team to gradually eradicate these species from the Bay. The Société’s Botany Section is now closely monitoring the recovery of native species in this area.
The Société is extremely grateful to the Government’s Countryside Enhancement Scheme who funded the work, and to Nurture Ecology who carried out the removal.
