As the open spaces of Bermuda continue to dwindle at a rate equivalent to an area the size of Ferry Reach Park every three years, suggestions on how the trend can be arrested or even reversed have taxed the minds of those contributing to the draft Sustainable Development Strategy.

And one idea harks back to the success in 2004 of the Buy Back Bermuda public campaign jointly undertaken by the Bermuda National Trust and the Bermuda Audubon Society.

In the space of 18 months more than $1.7 million was raised through the efforts of the two groups, with support from the public and Government to enable three acres of privately-held land at Long Bay, Sandys, to be bought for the future use of the general public.

The land, which lay adjacent to an existing national park and Audubon reserve, had been under threat of residential development. The success of the campaign to buy the land ? which included fund-raising efforts by charities, individuals, school children, local and international businesses and Government ? has been highlighted as one possible way for future areas of open space to be saved for the enjoyment of the public.

Government has stated it has limited funds with which it could itself buy back open space land, but suggestions within the sustainable development document include creating a community fund for such "buy backs" into which contributions must be made by developers, and possibly increasing planning application fees again a view to garnering additional funds that could be used for buying open spaces from private owners.

National Trust director Stephen Conway, said: "We are supportive of this. The sustainable development plan is saying a lot of things that the National Trust has been saying; that open space is important and let's get it on the agenda. There has to be a fund to buy back land."