Burton wins Blue Turtle Award for conservation work

(CNS): Cayman Islands conservationist Fred Burton, who has spearheaded efforts to bring the Blue Iguana back from the verge of extinction, became the first winner of ‘Blue Turtle’ Award for nature conservation in the Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies, presented by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC). The award was presented at a ceremony held in Peterborough on 2 December. Burton has worked in conservation in the Cayman Islands for over 20 years, with the last nine as the Director of the Blue Iguana Recovery Programme, which is an unsalaried position, and is deeply committed to creating a viable wild population of blue iguanas in their own protected area.

JNCC Chair, Peter Bridgewater, one of the panel of judges for the Award, said, “It is not often that one person’s efforts are contribute so much to bringing a species back from the brink of extinction, but in Fred’s case this was absolutely the case. There are many examples of extraordinary professional and enthusiastic work being done to conserve and manage the biodiversity of our Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies by the local populations, often with little fanfare. JNCC wanted to help by, once a year, rewarding the work of a particular individual or group. For 2009, Fred was the unanimous choice of the judging panel.”

In addition to a trophy, the recipient of the Blue Turtle Award is given £500 plus a £1,000 contribution to an Overseas Territory or Crown Dependency nature conservation project of their choice.

The Blue Iguana Recovery Programme relies heavily on its volunteer programme. Dedicated members of the local community feed and care for the animals in the captive breeding facility, as well as give talks and provide public education experiences. Key volunteers from overseas also contribute time and expertise in areas such as specialist veterinary care and radio tracking of released animals. The Recovery Plan for the Blue Iguana is a collaborative effort that is reviewed every five years with the involvement of representatives from local and international environmental agencies and groups.

Department of Environment Director Gina Ebanks-Petrie said of the Programme, “The Blue Iguana was once referred to as the most endangered rock iguana on the planet. Through Fred’s work a very successful captive breeding programme was established and blue iguanas are being re-introduced to the wild. Fred has taken the programme from a backyard project to a fully-fledged captive breeding facility which produces over 100 young iguanas for release into protected areas each year. The programme has been so successful that it serves as a model for other regional projects.”

Tara Pelembe, JNCC’s Overseas Territories Officer, commented, “We hope this is just the beginning of JNCC being able to shine a light on projects and actions that deserve a wider audience and acknowledgement. Fred is inspirational in his care for the blue iguana, and it is a pleasure to celebrate his success.”

The Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) is the statutory adviser to Government on UK and international nature conservation, on behalf of the Council for Nature Conservation and the Countryside, the Countryside Council for Wales, Natural England and Scottish Natural Heritage. Its work contributes to maintaining and enriching biological diversity, conserving geological features and sustaining natural systems. One of JNCC’s priorities is to provide advice on the conservation of biodiversity in the UK’s Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies.

JNCC has adopted a high-level strategic objective, derived from its vision, to ‘provide, to UK government departments, the governments of the Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies and others, timely and sound advice to support the achievement of the 2010 biodiversity target, the progressing of Environment Charters, and the implementation of multilateral environmental agreements.’

Any individual, or group of individuals (including governments) from and working on an Overseas Territory or Crown Dependency, can be nominated for the Blue Turtle Award. The work or project must have been in place for over a year, demonstrated innovation and have made a real difference. The award is based on the following criteria: nature conservation benefit/added value; innovation; community involvement; and links to a specific project, or demonstrating long-term commitment and dedication.