A 10-acre plot of land home to invasive plants and sheep could open as the island’s newest nature reserve in 2024.

Buy Back Bermuda – a collaborative initiative by the Bermuda National Trust and the Bermuda Audubon Society – announced earlier this year it had purchased the land on Alton Hill with the goal of making it the High Point Nature Reserve.

Jennifer Gray, chair of Buy Back Bermuda, recently showed The Royal Gazette the Southampton property as the charity works to raise funds to transform the area into it’s fourth nature reserve.

Hidden inside a forest of spice trees on the property, near an old stone border wall, she highlighted the remnants of a two storey building which was built “well before” 1789.

“We usually buy open spaces, not buildings, but we have no objection to a ruin being part of the deal,” she joked.

Ms Gray said BBB intends to have the remnants evaluated by archaeologists before determining how to address the invasive Indian laurel tearing the structure apart.

She added that the group hopes to use the structure to teach visitors to the reserve about how Bermuda homes were built.

At the top of the hill, visitors can see over the Great Sound to Dockyard or look over the South Shore on the other side.

Ms Gray said the coastline in the area bustles with longtails during the summer months, and the view will only improve as BBB removes invasive casuarinas.

The plot also includes farmland, which she said will not only remain in use but become a focal point for the reserve.

“Each property that we have taken on has a slightly different story behind it,” Ms Gray said. “Somerset Long Bay had the major pond excavation and it was attached to other parklands, which means that Somerset now has a big beautiful green space to enjoy.

“Vesey Nature Reserve was the first upland hill reserve, which has a lovely observation tower at the top. We had to build a bridge to get people safely into the reserve.

“Eve’s Pond was another excavation, but that wasn’t an old dump fill, that was filled with sand and it was the most delicate project because of the caves below.

“This particular property, High Point, is more representative of Bermuda’s history and culture of farming. That’s really the story we want to tell.

“We don’t want to build a bunch of fancy amenities on this property. We want it to be wild, we want it to be educational and we want everybody to have a place to enjoy. Go for a nature walk and learn a little about farming.”

Ms Gray said BBB hopes to formally open the reserve to the public on April 2024 to mark that year’s Earth Day, but that depends on the availability of funding and the time needed to prepare the site.

She added: “It does depend on people’s generosity and when we can get the funds in. We need to complete a conservation management plan, which goes through planning.

“We are also careful with our spending so we try to get as much of the work done with volunteer groups and volunteers parties as possible. None of us are paid for this. We do it for the love of land in Bermuda, and it does take time.”

Ms Gray said that a $1.5 million fundraising campaign would go not only towards the creation of a conservation management plan and work to prepare the park, but also to help support the organisation’s other nature reserves across the island.

“We had a lot of major expenses with hurricane damage and bridges that failed. We never realised that all of this would cost so much money,” she said.

“This is a perfect time of year to run a campaign like this. I think people are struggling with the economy and prices, so why go out and buy a gift just for the sake of buying a gift and wrapping it up in a bow? Why not buy a gift that keeps on giving to Bermuda?

“This is really a gift that gives Bermuda more space to play in and enjoy.”

She added that the High Point Nature Reserve was already a “miracle story” for the charity as the purchase of the property was made possible by an “angel” donor.

“There was a small article about Buy Back Bermuda in The Royal Gazette and a guardian angel walked into the office with a cheque for $2 million, which allowed us to purchase High Point,” she said.

“This would have been a $3.5 or $4 million campaign had it not been for the huge generosity of this individual who recognised the importance of our open space.”