Having returned from overseas I was pleased to be appointed Director and to find Rebecca willing to resume a supporting role for which the Trust is most grateful as the office seems busier than ever. I am grateful to Rebecca, Terry, and the Trust Council members for their support in these early days of managing the Trust. The Trust Council has now endorsed policies on Trees, Historic Buildings & Sites, Donor and National Heritage Register and these will now guide the position taken by the Trust in pursuing its objectives. The need for these policies was recognised early on in the Trust’s life and it is planned to develop other policies building up a full range to support the Trust’s work. Copies of our policies will be placed on the website and can be obtained from the Trust office. The office is most grateful to the voluntary help given by Sue Bagley (wife of Bob the Customs advisor) – come again! It has been a busy time and this looks set to continue so if there are other volunteers please let us know. There have been some new Life members join the Trust and annual members are reminded that their subscriptions are due - our thanks to those who have paid!

In May, the Trust was approached by SHG to comment on a proposal from a marine archaeological survey and salvage company “Deeptrek” - this was done with help from key Trust Council members giving invaluable support to the Director. A team from Deeptrek arrived for a week’s visit in June, to discuss their proposal which focused on further survey and salvage from the Dutch Indiamen wreck the Witte Leeuw; their programme was coordinated by the Trust at the request of SHG. There was a huge response from around the world - universities and environmental organisations flooded the e-mail with advice. The current position is that no agreement has been entered into by St Helena in spite of pressure from Deeptrek to receive such. It would be wonderful if one of the academic institutions which sent in comments would now consider developing, with St Helena, an archaeological proposal to address the underlying need for a survey to identify our marine heritage.

Perhaps one of the saddest things to report is the continuing demise of Hutts Gate Store- apparently no action can be taken until the property has gone to auction and there’s a new owner. Meanwhile it has continued to deteriorate. On a happier note, we can report that a project on historic buildings has been agreed between the Trust and SHG and Mr Edmund Simons. He & a colleague will arrive in October to offer training in Recording of Historic Buildings as a precursor to a second phase when training in restoration techniques will take place. The Trust is grateful for the support of SHG, AWSL and the National Maritime Museum without whose cooperation the project could not have been developed. If you are interested in taking up the opportunity to undergo this training, then please contact the Trust office and book a place. Discussions are ongoing with Landmark Trust & SHG regarding Bertrand’s Cottage. This project could enable the Trust to begin to earn revenue towards becoming a self-sustaining entity – perhaps a long way down the road but something we all wish to see.

Cathy Hopkins

Director

OTEP Protected Area Planning for the Central Peaks

The final phase of this project has now been reached and workshops are planned for 6th and 13th July to agree the vision (10 yr) and shorter term aims (3-5 yrs), objectives and activities for the Protected Area Plan. We are using e-mail as a means of obtaining views from people such as Philip and Myrtle Ashmole, Howard Mendel, Martin Wigginton and Mike Pienkowski all of whom have contributed to the project.

The 10th Anniversary of the establishment of Diana’s Peak National Park was used as a focal point to promote the achievements of the ANRD in carrying out alien plant control and replanting programmes, to highlight the continued threats to the Peaks and to promote education and understanding. An informative and visually impressive temporary exhibition has been on display in the Museum since March and when it is taken down at the end of July some of the materials will be used to establish a permanent display about the Peaks. Many of the schools took groups to visit the exhibition and take part in guided tours to the Peaks.

Additionally, a leaflet about the Spiders of the Peaks has been produced and the SHNT is most grateful to Ed Thorpe for his work on this – wonderful photos and really useful as a pocket guide to these perhaps hitherto unnoticed members of our endemic heritage! This photo is of the Golden Sail Spider.

OTEP/RSPB Conservation of Wirebird project

The first quarter has flown by with Tony Prater, RSPB giving invaluable support and training to get the project underway. SHNT is most grateful to all stakeholders for their support through contributing to discussions and giving up their time to attend meetings etc. Survey work has been taking place on the key areas and of note is the repeated breeding pattern being observed as chicks are lost. The loss of chicks could be from a variety of causes but cat predation has been identified as a likely cause on Deadwood Plain where feral cat lairs have been found – an approach has been made to the Environmental Health Section of PH&SSD and A&NRD to undertake cat trapping in the area.

Eddie undertook his first “guided walk” during Environment Week and led a small group to Prosperous Bay Plain where they were given an informative talk as they viewed wirebirds and even found some of their tracks across a path where they had been chasing insects. We noted the numerous vehicle tracks criss-crossing wirebird territories where tungie pickers had taken their vehicles right up to plants. This is a concern to address before the next tungie season!  Another visit to Broad Bottom with a volunteer SHNT helper and a work experience student assisting at the SHNT office, saw them finding two nests with eggs and seeing a total of 17 birds. Again, Eddie showed his knowledge of the wirebird’s habits when leading the walk – giving us such details as how the colour of the eggs changes as they near the time to hatch. Tenders have been invited for a trial restoration on Deadwood Pasture and it is hoped that once the licence has been issued to the syndicate, a contractor will be selected and work on fencing , removal of invasive plants and spike harrowing in specified paddocks can be carried out before the winter weather sets in. The Trust is grateful to the syndicate for their advice and support of this project which will benefit both cattle and wirebirds alike. During the next quarter we will be arranging a meeting with Farmers’ Association representatives as we would like to draw them into the circle and encourage another partnership to support the conservation of the wirebird. Planning for Eddie’s training at RSPB during his visit to the UK in September/October is going ahead and he will be joined by Cathy Hopkins at the UKOTCF conference in Jersey from 5th to 13th October. It is an excellent opportunity for spreading the word about the wirebird as well as about other island environmental issues.

(Wirebird photo courtesy of Philip Ashmole)

St Helena Environmental Information System –SHEIS

This is gaining momentum with a flurry of meetings with stakeholders on island and the e-mails flying to and fro as consultants Alan Mills and Edsel Daniel prepare for their visit in August/September . Key to the success of the project is the resource on island of the Legal, Lands and Planning Department staff who have experience of GIS arising from a DFID funded project to digitise the Land Registry in 2005 and the support of IT to ensure the ongoing maintenance and advice they can offer. The implications of working towards an island-wide Information System are enormous and this project is but the first step towards eventually achieving an island wide system. It is hoped to obtain a training licence to enable up to 12 people to undertake training using the computer suite at Prince Andrew School.

SHNT projects

Flax Mill Museum

The Trust has approached the Tourist Office Heritage Sites Working Group to seek funding to complete repairs to a window and the relocation of the door(subject to Land Planning / Highways Authority approval). Audio-visual equipment has been purchased through GGF and has now arrived here. The story boards’ text has been prepared and the museum is scheduled to open in December as part of the Festival of Art & Culture being promoted by the Tourism Office.

Millennium Forest

This continues to grow –excuse the pun. Special attention was given to planting by the elderly during Environment Week (5th- 9th June) This tree planting was to kick-start the Hebridean Spirit Copse which has been sponsored by passengers and crew of the ship which called here in March of this year. The copse is being planted close to the road leading down to the forest so that on future calls passengers can easily access the area. Alongside this copse will be a further 100 trees sponsored through Richard Paice and further generous gifts have come from Vince Thompson. 

Member organisations

Art & Crafts Association

The Art and Crafts Association has moved into its new premises at Broadway House- regrettably the space is smaller and less given to displaying the variety of art & crafts work being produced by its members. We look forward to including a report on the association’s work in our next newsletter.

St Helena Heritage Society

The Heritage Society held its AGM in June and Tony Green, who stepped into the breach when Alan Nicholls left to work in Ascension, was confirmed in post as Chairman. Other officers are Ray Hudson, Vice Chairman, Fr Fred George, Treasurer and Cathy Hopkins , Secretary.  The main thrust of the Heritage Society’s work over the past year has been in the direction of the Museum – particularly important during the curator’s absence on training overseas. However, the society has welcomed the opportunity to become involved in discussion on the Deeptrek proposal and to comment on access environmental issues. Lucy Caesar (Director/Curator) has been extremely busy with two temporary exhibitions in the Museum- the Visions of the Peaks followed by the 2006 Art Show. Even as we go to press with this newsletter, Lucy is completing the preparations for the Preview of the Art show on 28 July.

St Helena  Diving Club news.

The past few months have been fairly quiet on the diving front. It is still an active club with many enthusiastic divers. Mr Graham Sim still trains new interested divers, so generating more enthusiasm for the marine environment.

Annual Outing

The annual outing of the SHDC and the St Helena Yacht Club was another success this year. Many members and friends and family attended. A trip to see the dolphins, snorkelling, fishing and water sports were some of the things that were on offer throughout the day. The usual pot of pilau was made which always seems to have the greatest effect on your taste buds when out on the rocks.

DeepTrek

An English company called DeepTrek came to St Helena to discuss the possibility of carrying out salvage and archaeological work on the White Lion wreck. The SHDC members were invited to a meeting to discuss the proposal in which a lot of diving opportunities would benefit the island should the team come back.

Underwater Nature Trails

An Overseas Territories Environment Programme (OTEP) project to upgrade and establish both land and marine nature trails was approved last year. Work towards establishing the marine trails has started, and as part of this, members of the SHDC joined workers from Fisheries Section, ANRD on 2 Saturday dives during July to Long Ledge. The purpose of these dives was to establish what is actually there to see and then collate all of this information. The outcome will include fish guides, maps of the area and other information. It is also envisaged that there will be another two trails – one at Lemon Valley and one at the Front Steps. The picture shows a red starfish and black feather stars – some of the interesting marine life you can see around St Helena (picture courtesy of Helena Bennett).

Important policies drafted by SHG attract comment from National Trust – have your say! If you have any comments on the draft SHG Tourism policy then please send them to Garron Yon, Public Relations Information Officer by e-mail to prio@sainthelena.gov.sh and copy them to the office here, sth.nattrust@helanta.sh – the deadline for comments is 15th August.

The Tourism and Investment policies can be viewed on the SHG website – www.sainthelena.gov.sh -the Trust is concerned that the value of our unique natural, built and cultural heritage is safeguarded for the future and that the stringent development guidelines are set to ensure that the very things which attract visitors to the island are not lost! Your support is needed so please have a look at the policies and send in comments.

E-mailing the newsletter to overseas members.

The Trust is sending out this newsletter by e-mail to its overseas membership who have this facility. The reason behind this move is simply “time  and “cost”. With the vagaries of the post via South Africa and the cost of postage we hope to get your newsletter to you more quickly and more cheaply than in the past. Any overseas members without e-mail will continue to receive their copies by post.