The Jersey rock star

Jersey: a UNESCO Geopark?

A Geopark Visitor Centre has opened on the ground floor of the Museum. Caroline Spencer went to meet Jersey’s very own rock star

You’ve heard of biodiversity. Now get used to the term geodiversity. Geodiversity refers to the variety of the geological and physical elements of nature, such as rocks, soils and landforms, and moves are afoot to have Jersey designated as a UNESCO Geopark.

It’s very much a collaborative project, so far involving Jersey Heritage, the Société Jersiaise, Jersey National Park, Young Archaeologists’ Club, Jersey Biodiversity Centre and the Blue Marine Foundation.

Millie Butel is Jersey Heritage’s Landscape Engagement & Geopark Development Curator. ‘A Geopark is a celebration of the Earth and people,’ she explained. ‘It’s a celebration of geology, natural heritage and built heritage.’

The new Geopark Visitor Centre has been created on the ground floor of the Jersey Museum. ‘The aim of the centre is to introduce the Aspiring Geopark project and encourage people to explore Jersey and discover its stories along the way,’ Millie said.

‘The Island has been shaped by tide and time over millions of years. Each of the ten sites featured at the centre has its story to tell.’

‘One of my favourites is L’Ile Agois, tucked away on the north coast. It’s mindboggling that there used to be a settlement on it, and 27 huts on that tiny rock.’

The display at the centre says that it is believed that a Christian monastery was built on the tidal stack in the 7th or 8th century. Excavations in the 1950s and 70s uncovered traces of the monks’ monastery which was made up of two rectangular buildings and 27 semi-circular huts.

Another featured geosite is South Hill, a largely ignored feature of St Helier, best known as the area that learner drivers practise their reversing. Millie explained that it is actually the highest raised beach in the Island. ‘It shows over time how the sea level has changed. It’s quite daunting when you look up at South Hill and realise that the sea was once that high.’

A former JCG student with a BSc degree in physical geography, Millie has always been interested in Jersey’s geoheritage.

‘I’ve been volunteering for Jersey Heritage since I was 16,’ she said. ‘I interned with the Ice Age Island project and that really sparked my interest in the archaeology side of things.’

Now, as one of the Gardiens of the Geopark project, she wants Islanders to start looking at familiar places through different eyes.

Millie said: ‘We have shared our favourite parts of Jersey to highlight some of the reasons why the Island is so special. We hope that people visiting the centre will be inspired to consider how they too are Jersey’s Gardiens.

‘To have Geopark designation, you have to go through self-evaluation and there are criteria to meet, like exceptional geology as well as outstanding cultural heritage. Jersey ticks a lot of those boxes.’

Although a Geopark designation is nonstatutory, and therefore would not carry restrictions that might come with that, it is hoped that it would help protect sites in future and be incorporated into the Island Plan.

‘We’d love for people to come and learn more about our chosen geosites around the Island, and get a feel for what a Geopark is. And then we really want people to go out and get exploring. ‘The nice thing is that biodiversity and geodiversity go hand in hand. If you’re protecting the biodiversity, you’re going to protect the geodiversity in most instances,’ Millie said. ‘What a Geopark ultimately would be is a statement of commitment to protecting our heritage and the Island we all know and love.’

The Geopark Visitor Centre, on the ground floor of the Museum, will run indefinitely. Entry is free. You can find out more about Geoparks on the Jersey Heritage website.

Did you know that Jersey has its own Giant’s Causeway?

At low tide, from the end of the slipway at Anne Port, look left to the outcrop known as La Crête Point. These rocks feature excellent examples of the volcanic activity that happened around 580 million years ago. Similar to the Giant’s Causeway in Ireland, you can see hexagonal columnar jointing. Most are hexagonal but some columns are four, five or seven sided.

Local producers are partners, season after glorious season

We actively look to stock our shelves with local products and are proud to have local producers as partners, in many cases for years and years. Buying locally is good for Jersey’s economy, environment and countryside around us, and the next generation of local producers.