Map of Guernsey (click to view full-size)
Background information
Guernsey (48o28'N 2o35'W) is the second largest of the Channel Islands, a British Crown Dependency lying just off the northwest coast of France. The Bailiwick covers Alderney (which is a self-governing dependency of Guernsey), Sark, Herm, Brecqhou, Burhou, Lihou and numerous other small islets. Guernsey itself coves about 63km2, and had a population of approximately 60,500 people as of 2004 (2006 Sustainable Guernsey Report).
Legislation regarding biodiversity and impact assessment
No direct statutory requirement for EIA currently exists in Guernsey legislation, but a new EIA Ordinance is currently (2006-07) under consultation.
Planning legislation for the islands currently involves the following:
- Island Development (Guernsey) Laws, 1966-1990
- Ancient Monuments and Protected Buildings (Guernsey) Law, 1967
- Building (Guernsey) Law, 1956
- The Land Planning & Development (Guernsey) Law, 2005
- Land Planning and Development (Environmental Impact Assessment) Ordinance 2006 (draft)
Further information about this legislation can be found through the legislation pages.
Key development areas and issues
Guernsey is heavily reliant on financial services: finance, ICT and business services making up over 50% of the economy's total income. Other important, but now declining, aspects of the island's economy include tourism and horticulture, particularly cut flowers and tomatoes.
Biodiversity interest
Guernsey's climate and position give it a relatively rich biodiversity for its size: plant diversity is considered to be about double that per hectare of comparable sites in the UK, the islands also being important for seabirds. (Sustainable Guernsey 2006)
The island is, however, extensively urbanised: some 38% of the land area is built upon or associated closely with buildings, and another 40% is improved grassland, cropland, bare ground or amenity land with little value to wildlife.
The island supports some 1,400 plant species, with approximately 10,000 invertebrate and 250 bird species also recorded. A significant issue with declining shorebird populations is the amount of recreational disturbance from dog-walkers.
Information about Guernsey's threatened species can be found through this page.
Protected Areas
A number of local nature reserves have been designated across the island, administered by La Société Guernesiaise. The area of land covers some 65 hectares, encompassing a number of locally threatened habitats.
One Ramsar site was designated on Guernsey in 2006 - Lihou Island and L'Erée Headland - covering 390ha across Lihou Island, La Claire Mare NR and the Colin Best NR, including intertidal reefs and rocks. Another three sites have been proposed: Gouliot Caves, North Herm and Les Amfrocques, and the Orchid Fields at Rocquaine Bay. These latter cover a total of 690ha. The Alderney West Coast and the Burhou Islands Ramsar site, a further 15,629ha, belong to Alderney.
Further information can be found through this page.