Quick action from former Premier David Saul saved three acres of Bermuda’s open space from the claws of an excavator and put it in the hands of the public.

To do it the United Bermuda Party stalwart got a great deal of support from the current Government.

They worked together along with the Bermuda National Trust, the Audubon Society and about 500 ordinary citizens to purchase the property from its owner Joffre Pitman, before he could sell it to a condominium builder. The effort to make this a reality began three years ago. And on Sunday the property at Pitman’s Pond will be officially opened as The Somerset Long Bay East Nature Reserve thanks to the work of a fairly new organisation called Buy Back Bermuda.

This is the first property Buy Back has bought and beautified. Dr. Saul says it went so well he already has his eyes set on two more properties — one five acre plot of open space in the east end, one nine acre plot in the west end.

When Deputy Premier Paula Cox cuts the ribbon on the new reserve this weekend, on Earth Day, Buy Back hopes to announce the locations of the two additional properties.

And even though purchasing open space, particularly waterfront space, is a costly venture, Dr. Saul is convinced the money for both can be raised through donations.

Buy Back needed $1.4 million to purchase Pitman’s Pond. And they needed to raise the money quickly. In the end they raised $2.25 million in five months. Government gave $300,000, the United Kingdom Government gave $150,000 and an overseas charity gave $250,000.

Most of the remaining money came from private individuals who live in Bermuda, including school children.

Dr. Saul says the fast money proves people are willing to be proactive when it comes to preserving open spaces.

Within four months they had the $1.4 million and within another month, they ended up with almost $1 million more. Some of that money ($150,000) will be put into an endowment to maintain the new nature reserve.

The fundraising engine was powered by Dr. Saul, a retired psychologist, and six conservationists from the National Trust and the Audubon Society.

That same Buy Back team will assemble once again in June to raise money for the new projects. The former Premier donated $20,000 himself. He said: “I’ve got the time, I’ve got the ability to hold the begging bowl out and talk people out of 100 bucks.

“I believe there are probably 2,000 Bermudians, local residents, who would say, ‘Hell yes, I think this is a good thing’.

“I’m sure the 500 from last time will donate again. What we plan to do is do it every three years. Every three years forever Buy Back Bermuda will go to the public and say, ‘We’ve identified another one, another two pieces of property, how about you help us purchase it’.”

Dr. Saul got put onto this idea by his friend, former Government Conservation Officer David Wingate. He was upset when he heard the Pitman’s Pond plot was due to be sold to a condominium developer for $1.4 million. The land is right next to a National Park. The former Premier was equally upset because he used to kayak into that area when he worked at Somerset Primary.

The three men met and agreed if the equal sum of $1.4 million could be raised, the land would be sold to Bermudians instead of to a developer.

Now the property will be protected forever as a prime location for bird watching and picnicking and habitat study.

The new welcome signs will encourage people to “take only pictures, leave only footprints”.

[bul] The month-long Caribbean Bird Festival will launch on Sunday at Pitman’s Pond.

According to Andrew Dobson, Bermuda-based president of the Society for the Conservation and Study of Caribbean Birds, local primary schools will also receive festival-linked talks about the Island’s 5,000-6,000 pairs of bluebirds.

“They only nest in Bermuda in nest boxes because they lost their cedar tree habitat when the cedar trees were wiped out. We will go into the schools and encourage the erection and careful monitoring of bluebird boxes,” he explained.

David Saul starts Buy Back Bermuda