Among its 63 ‘aspirations’, the draft document calls for all the islands to achieve Plastic Free status and stop using plastic bags as well as to develop a holistic fishing strategy, enhance public transportation options, promote rain water harvesting, improve wildlife data collection and sharing, and tackle invasive species. The draft charter will now be fine-tuned and then distributed to the relevant governments for adoption.

Over 60 delegates from Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney and the UK attended the two-day Inter-Island Environmental Meetings at Crabbé and gave input into the development of the draft charter.

It reflects the hopes and goals of conservationists from groups such as the National Trust, Alderney Wildlife Trust, the Biodiversity Centre, Birds on the Edge, Plastic Free Jersey as well as government departments focussed on the environment and natural resources.

‘Each Island has something unique to contribute to this shared vision, and by pooling our existing resources, expertise and experiences, we have the opportunity to deliver something far greater for our environment than we could ever do individually,’ the draft document reads. ‘While recognising political boundaries and cultural differences, this Charter seeks to highlight that the Channel Islands have far more in common than that which divides them.’

The draft charter outlines goals and objectives for the next five years and contains eight strategies dealing with waste, the marine environment, reducing carbon footprints, sustainable water management, wildlife and biodiversity, agriculture and healthy foods, connecting people to their environment and enhancing bio-security.

‘For too long we have glibly taken too much from our natural environment and put back too little, always believing that one little field, or one little hedgerow, or one little meadow, will not have a significant impact upon the whole,’ the draft charter says.

‘However, recent State of the Environment Reports would suggest otherwise with local extinctions, landscape quality, biodiversity and natural beauty all at risk.’

The focus of the conference was partnerships and the groups participating have already developed new channels for programme exchange and information sharing.

One of the first goals is for all Channel Islands to achieve Plastic Free Status – at the moment only Alderney has earned the Plastic Free coastline designation from Surfers Against Sewage.

‘Hopefully this charter will demonstrate to the wider world that we do think a shared vision and working closely together has immense value,’ said National Trust chairman Charles Alluto. ‘It’s just about saying we think these are some of the priorities that we should be looking at in the next five to ten years as conservationists throughout the Channel Islands.’