Jersey's rural champions recognised as 'custodians' of the island's national park

  • Katya Fowler donned her wellies to head out with coastal shepherd Aaron.

Islanders who've made a significant contribution to Jersey's National Park have been recognised with the honorary title of 'custodian'.

They've all championed different aspects of Jersey's rural community.

One of them, shepherd Aaron Le Couteur, explained how having his sheep grazing helps to keep biodiversity alive across the island:

"So what we can do with sheep is use grazing as a tool to maintain and enhance habitats. And so things like Bramble and scrub succession, you know, if you weren't to manage sites, then those elements would take over and you'd lose, you know, especially on sites like this which are so valuable. You lose that biodiversity if it wasn't going to be managed."

The sheep roam free in the wilds of St Ouen. They the closest living relative to the extinct Jersey sheep, which grazed here 200 years ago. Credit: ITV CHANNEL

The fields, bracken-covered slopes and open wild areas of the park are all individually owned and managed.

Aaron said that if it wasn't for the work of custodians looking after this land, the island's open spaces "would certainly be lost."