The subantarctic island of South Georgia is an extraordinary and magical place. It is known for its dramatic landscapes, abundant fauna, unique flora and an interesting history. But these last ten years or so South Georgia has become internationally renowned for being a leader in environmental protection and habitat restoration. From the end of the 18th century up until 3 years ago, this paradise island was infested by brown rats and house mice that decimated the local and endemic bird population, pushing some species to the fringes of extinction. This talk will be a short story of an incredible achievement, that saw a small UK charity called South Georgia Heritage Trust taking on the largest rodent eradication in the world so far, succeeding in removing a devastating invasive species and restoring a fragile habitat for millions of birds. I will talk about the problem, the methodology and the result of this incredible habitat restoration project.
My name is Jerome Viard and I currently work as a gardener at Newnham College. I have had the privilege to participate in this significant habitat restoration project 5 years ago and I feel very passionate about it. I previously worked as a museum assistant on South Georgia for the charity South Georgia Heritage Trust, promoting and helping protect the natural and cultural history of the island.
All staff, students, senior members and alumnae are warmly invited to attend the Newnham Pudding Seminars. For more details please visit https://newn.cam.ac.uk/research/pudding-seminars/ or email Jessie Sklair (js222@cam.ac.uk) or Hana D’Souza (hd425@cam.ac.uk)