Wayne Jackson, a member of the Buy Back Bermuda Committee, spoke to the Hamilton Rotarians yesterday about a very valuable commodity on the Island — space.

He was also appealing to the public for help in preserving the remaining open land which is rapidly disappearing to development. Buy Back Bermuda is trying to buy up land to preserve open space but the costs of these plots is rising.

In Bermuda, the value of land is determined by what the consumer is willing to pay for it, he said, making the group's aims ever more costly.

"Space is under threat of development and therefore being lost to future generations forever," he said. "(This is because) landowners can achieve all-time high prices for selling their open space to developers."

Buy Back Bermuda (BBB) is a partnership consisting of the Bermuda National Trust and the Bermuda Audubon Society.

These two entities, with the same goal and mandates, have merged into a single force to buy back Bermuda's priceless open space.

The ultimate objective: to pass on this legacy to generations to come as a gift in perpetuity.

"BBB shares the vision of Dennis Sherwin, a past president of the Bermuda National Trust, whose ideal is to create a 'Green Necklace' of open space, forming a connected nature trail," said Mr. Jackson. "This is to enable people to traverse a green nature trail uninterrupted from one end of the Island to the other."

Buy Back Bermuda (BBB) has attempted to purchase two areas on the Island and is appealing to the public and influential organisations for their support to save more open space from the threat of development.

The areas, Eve's Pond, a 3.5-acre site in Hamilton Parishs and Evans Bay Pond 7.5-acres at Scroggins Hill in Southampton are currently on the list for BBB purchase.

"This campaign requires to raise $2.5 million and provides an opportunity to all of us to participate in a community effort which will help improve the human condition of our society."

In 2001 a study entitled "Threats to Biodiversity" found that anarea comparable to the size of Ferry Reach Park is being lost to housing development every three years.

This calculation was based on the rate of development over the previous 10 years when 227 acres of land was lost to development over that decade.

Mr. Jackson noted some of the impact of the escalating losses of space on Bermuda's psyche and society as manifested through anxiety extremes, impatience, stress resulting in discourtesy and disrespect for each other, intolerance of each other often resulting in violence to resolve differences.

"In other words: One of the consequences of the loss of open space, of this man-induced claustrophobia is the 'quality of life' we once enjoyed."

But people seem unaware of these consequences of development, according to the study that was done.

"Just two of 400 adults agreed that environment was the single most important issue facing Bermuda and nine out of every 100 students felt loss of space is a top environmental concern," Mr. Jackson said.

He added: "We ought to know more about what is happening to gradually destroy us and what we can do to counter it."

Dr. David Saul, former Premier of Bermuda and now the facilitator of the BBB committee, already has announced that the public has donated $100,000 and a foundation $300,000 to the current campaign.

In 2005, BBB purchased Pitman's Pond, a 3-acre plot in Sandys Parish with a man made pond attracting all sorts of bird life.

The price was $1.7 million (including $300,000 to fund a restoration and maintenance plan), which was raised over a period of 18 months.

The funds were raised in cash and pledges totalling $2 million within six to seven months. Students, individuals, large corporation foundations and Government all contributed.

The additional funds provided start up funding for this new project.

Mr. Jackson holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Williams College in Massachusetts and various certificates in banking from the American Institute of Banking.

Mr. Jackson is actively involved in the community and currently serves on various boards including Trustee of the Bermuda National Gallery, Member of Council of Bermuda National Trust, Trustee of Ross "Blackie" Talbot Foundation and Chairman of Council and Board of Governors of the Adult Education School.

If you are interested in pledging an amount to this cause you can contact Masae Le Vaillant at 236-6483 ext 222 or email: mansae@bnt.bm.