Volunteers replaced overgrown invasive plants at a St George’s fortification with native and endemic species as part of a programme to create micro forests across the island.

In a collaboration between the St George’s Foundation and the Bermuda Zoological Society’s Micro Forest Project, dozens of volunteers rolled up their sleeves to clear an area in front of Fort William.

Together with participants in the Charity Work Programme run by the Department of Corrections, the team removed invasive plants and brought in truckloads of soil and compost before planting an array of local flora.

Nicholas Coelho, a BZS micro forest project officer, said the collaboration was an example of how ecological restoration and cultural heritage can go hand-in-hand.

He explained: “Within this initiative, the Fort William micro forest plot demonstrates how invasive vegetation can be carefully replaced with native and endemic species to restore ecological function and strengthen biodiversity outcomes.

“It also highlights the broader value of restoring ecological integrity within historically significant landscapes, where natural systems and cultural heritage are treated as interconnected rather than separate.

“Projects like this support long-term ecological resilience, improve conditions for pollinators, birds, insects and other wildlife, and help re-establish meaningful habitat connectivity in an otherwise fragmented environment.

“Beyond the immediate biodiversity gains, it contributes to healthier soils, improved water retention, erosion control and overall landscape stability, while also enhancing the educational and interpretive value of the site for the community.”

Among the fresh plantings were turnera, sea ox eye, bay lavender, St Andrew’s Cross, Jamaican vervain, Jamaican dogwood, box briar, tassel plant, Bermuda palmetto, olive wood, cedar, green buttonwood, southern hackberry and yellowwood.

Fort William, also known as the Western Redoubt, was built in the early 1800s but never armed and instead repurposed to serve as a magazine.

The site later housed a restaurant, first known as the Gunpowder Cavern and later as the Fort William Restaurant and Bar, but the site has been shuttered for decades.

Stuart Smith, the SGF chairman, credited David Andrade, the foundation’s director, with suggesting reaching out to BZS about a micro forest in the area.

He said: “SGF contracted Island Construction Services last October to clear the dense growth of Chinese fan palms, Indian laurel and other invasives from the front of the fort.

“We know how quickly these plants come back, and David suggested the micro forest as a solution. We’re grateful for his time in overseeing this project.”

Philippe Bacon, the BZS president, said the organisation was honoured to be part of a project that marks the island’s natural heritage and history.

He said: “The establishment of the Fort William micro forest is a wonderful example of what becomes possible when organisations come together around a shared purpose.

“For BZS, this project represents everything our micro forest initiative stands for: restoring native and endemic species, rebuilding biodiversity and demonstrating that ecological recovery is achievable even in the most unlikely of places.”