A trailblazing conservationist who led the preservation of the island’s endemic cahow has been hailed for his legacy.

David Wingate, who died this week at age 91, “fundamentally changed the course of Bermuda’s natural history and helped shape modern conservation on the island”.

Jaché Adams, the Minister of Public Works and Environment, said: “David Wingate’s association with the cahow began in 1951, when, at just 15 years old, he joined the expedition that confirmed the survival of Bermuda’s endemic petrel after it had been believed extinct for centuries.

“The discovery became the foundation of a lifetime devoted to ensuring that the species had a future.”

Mr Wingate not only led the rediscovery of the seabird. Over subsequent decades, he pioneered “practical conservation methods to protect the cahow, including improvements to nesting habitat and artificial burrows”, Mr Adams said.

“The recovery programme he helped establish continues today, and the survival of the cahow remains one of Bermuda’s most significant conservation achievements.”

He added that Mr Wingate’s contributions extended “far beyond a single species”, as he led the long and difficult work of restoring native ecosystems.

“That philosophy was put into practice at Nonsuch Island, where he pioneered the restoration of native and endemic habitat and helped create the ‘living museum’ concept,” Mr Adams said.

“His work demonstrated that degraded landscapes could recover, native species could return and environmental loss did not always have to be permanent.

“That approach helped influence the development of conservation in Bermuda and continues to inform restoration work today.

“Mr Wingate also played an important role in building Bermuda’s conservation community. He shared his knowledge with generations of conservation officers, naturalists, students and volunteers, and was one of the founding members of the Nonsuch Natural History Course.

“He also contributed to the restoration vision for Trunk Island and its development as the Bermuda Zoological Society’s Living Classroom.”

Mr Adams added: “David Wingate changed what Bermudians believed was possible in conservation. He helped bring a species back from the brink of extinction and showed that damaged habitats could be restored when knowledge, persistence and care were applied over time.

“His legacy is visible across Bermuda. It is there every time a cahow returns across the Atlantic, in the restored woodland of Nonsuch, and in the conservationists and young Bermudians who continue to learn about and protect our natural environment.

“Our native plants, birds and habitats are part of what makes Bermuda unique. David Wingate spent his life helping us understand their value and ensuring that more of that natural heritage would survive for the generations that followed him.

“On behalf of the Ministry of Public Works and Environment, I extend my sincere condolences to David Wingate’s family, friends, former colleagues and Bermuda’s conservation community.

“Bermuda has lost a pioneer of modern conservation. The cahow survives. Nonsuch lives again. The people he taught continue the work.

“Those are powerful measures of a life devoted to protecting the place we call home.”