Our recent brush with Hurricane Fiona really brought home how much property BNT holds in trust for Bermuda. With 25 listed buildings and 13 public nature reserves in our care, hurricane prep and clean-up are no small tasks. The Trust’s staff know the drill well and deserve to be commended for their teamwork and efficiency in securing our historic buildings and jumping on inspections, clean-up and repairs after the storm.

Though the hurricane delayed the opening of our Trust Treasures Shop, we are pleased to announce that starting this week it will be open every Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10am to 4pm. The best ‘treasures’ will be snapped up fast, so come in soon to browse a fabulous selection of china, crystal, silver, antique furniture, Bermuda books, jewellery and curios. We’d love to see all these lovely, donated items find a new home.

This month we were also pleased to celebrate our many wonderful volunteers with a reception at Verdmont. We couldn’t achieve all that we do without so many people giving generously of their time and expertise in so many ways, from hands-on work in nature reserves and museums, to advising on committees and helping with events. Thank you!

Karen Border

Executive Director

This year’s winners of the Trust’s top awards were presented by President Alana Anderson at the Volunteer Appreciation party held at Verdmont on Wednesday.

Robin Mayor received the Palmetto Award, the Trust’s highest annual honour, for her many years of dedicated service and generous support for the Trust. In particular, Robin brought her legal expertise to bear on behalf of the Trust as the driving force behind the recent change in our Act. Several years of intense work by the volunteer team, which also included Dace Ground and Amanda Outerbridge, resulted in the passing of the Bermuda National Trust Amendment Act in December 2021. Robin has served on Council and chaired the Development Committee since 2015. 

Peter Hebberd received the President’s Award, which is given for exceptional service to the Trust either for a single act or for an accumulation of services over many years. Peter dedicated his expertise and time on a voluntary basis for over a year on the creation of the new BNT website, working alongside staff member Dörte Horsfield. The new website, which launched in August 2021, not only looks more attractive and has better content and navigation, it is also much easier for staff to update and has greater functionality for online payments.

Alana congratulated Robin and Peter on their well-deserved recognition and thanked them for their extraordinary service to the Trust. 

BNT, BEST and Audubon appeal Devonshire Marsh development

At the Trust we continue to do all we can to advocate for conservation of our natural heritage, but sometimes we lose – and Bermuda loses too.

The latest casualty is property on Devonshire Marsh zoned Open Space at 79 Middle Road, Devonshire, owned by Island Construction Services of which Zane DeSilva MP is President and CEO. For more than 20 years the Trust has been battling to uphold the protective zoning at this site, despite its history of industrial use, because of the ecological importance of the marsh in which it sits and Bermuda’s largest freshwater lens beneath its soil.

Despite having turned down previous versions of this development application three times before, and an application for rezoning under the 2018 Bermuda Plan, the Development Applications Board has recently given the go-ahead for extensive additional development at this sensitive site, including three two-storey maintenance and storage buildings and five one-bedroom staff apartments, parking (for 55 cars and 44 bikes), and a driveway. All of this is on a three-acre site on the Marsh. 

We have submitted an appeal, teaming up with the Bermuda Environmental Sustainability Taskforce (BEST) and the Bermuda Audubon Society to strengthen our objection. The proposed development well exceeds what would be permitted on protectively-zoned property; in fact, this intensity of development would not even be allowed on land with “industrial” zoning. Ironically, permission has been given on the basis of the historical sifting of aggregate on the property. And yet, aggregate sifting is not the proposed use for the site. It will now be a mix of industrial use (a base for trucking services including shipping and container haulage), and residential use that would not normally be allowed on an industrial site.

Devonshire Marsh is the largest area of open space in Bermuda, with the largest peat marsh habitat. It sits above the island’s largest freshwater lens. It is one of the few marshes in Bermuda that was never used for dumping trash. The Marsh acts as a safe haven for migratory birds while assisting in purifying rainfall runoff from the roads, to become our drinking water. 

To say we are disappointed with this decision is an understatement. The Premier recently described Bermuda on international TV as a “world leader” on protection of the environment and climate change. We hope that the Minister of the Environment will heed our Appeal and choose to turn down this development, in the interests of the whole Bermuda community. 

Download the Appeal Case

Teamwork makes the dream work

After all the summer heat and humidity, it’s time to get back into the nature reserves to start preparing for the growing season. Our community volunteer days started up again at Rebecca Middleton Nature Reserve in mid-September and in spite of the general stickiness and threat of rain we had a decent turnout and got a great deal accomplished. We removed weeds around previous plantings and planted 30 more native trees, shrubs and ground covers, all in the interest of restoring habitat and increasing biodiversity. Two more native species were introduced – White Stopper (Eugenia monticola syn. Eugenia axillaris) and Yellowwood (Zanthoxylum flavum), both of which also grow in Florida and the West Indies. White Stopper is an upland hillside shrub, significantly less common than it used to be due to rampant invasive species. Many of us will have heard of Yellowwood but I’m sure most Bermudians haven’t ever seen a mature tree as so few remain. 

Restoring our nature reserves will require building strong, diverse native and endemic strongholds that will one day generate their own recruitment through self-seeding, which is a powerful indicator of successful ecological restoration.  

Success will require a strong team, including Trust staff, members, volunteers, neighbours – in fact, all of us! I encourage everyone to consider becoming an active part of this team. Check out our website (bnt.bm) where you will find a variety of opportunities to be part of the change we all want to see. Our next community volunteer day is 15 October at Gilbert Nature Reserve; you can find more information and sign up via our website Volunteer - The Bermuda National Trust (bnt.bm) I hope to see you there!

A rare treat: Bermuda Snowberry (Chiococca alba)

One of Bermuda’s most prolific native flowering shrubs, Snowberry is underrated as an ornamental garden plant and should be a consideration for any Bermuda garden. Sadly, it has become rare as a result of habitat destruction and an overwhelming proliferation of invasive species. You should be able to find this plant at most nurseries across Bermuda.  

Snowberry is happiest in part-shade or as an understory plant but also grows effectively in partial to full sun environments. The white berries that follow the blooming of its lush yellow or cream-coloured bell-shaped flowers are a food source for birds. When not in flower this shrub is still attractive with its glossy leaves and varying shapes: in shadier conditions it has a vine-like growth habit, while it tends to be more shrub-like in full sun. 

You can see this shrub in full flower right now across many of our nature reserves but it is notable at Idwal Hughes Nature Reserve in Walsingham where the stands are especially big.  

A year of magical heritage 

We established the Trust’s Heritage Team a year ago under the leadership of our Executive Director Karen Border. Together Head of Natural Heritage Myles Darrell, Heritage Education Coordinator Anna Stevenson, and myself as Head of Cultural Heritage focus on the Trust’s heritage mission and strategy.

Nothing matters more to what we do than teamwork. We constantly rely on the entire Trust staff whether they work in Properties, Finance or Development. Committee volunteers for heritage overall, archaeological research, and museums & collections, inject vital energy and expertise. And so many other people and partners constantly support our heritage goals. Though we track volunteer time, it’s impossible to record and share every collaborative moment, there’s just too much to do!

While I believe all heritage is about intangible meaning and value, the Trust cares for real places and things that need constant care and were not built to last ‘forever’. Managing museums and collections to facilitate public engagement and meet professional standards requires much time and careful thought.

Striking a balance is a challenge that cuts across much of our heritage work. We need to balance respecting and building on the achievements of the Trust’s first 50 years while also ‘being the change we wish to see’ through innovation. We must balance daily deliverables with long-term strategic thinking.

Balancing our management of Trust-owned or -managed sites with advocacy for Bermuda heritage at risk is critical to being credible and responsive. We have much we are responsible for and must try to lead by example. Yet, the Trust also protects and promotes wider Bermuda heritage. We must also be sensitive to priorities beyond heritage so that our work recognises and addresses the needs of the modern, living community.

My first year with the Trust working with our team and wider Bermuda partners has been endlessly fascinating, challenging, and inspiring. The experience has been magical because heritage is about people and the world we share.

Student 'on the rock' stars

Several student volunteers gave their time and talents to the Trust’s cultural heritage portfolio this summer.

• Somersfield Academy student Sebastian White spent a day shadowing Charlotte. Sebastian observed heritage tasks and joined a Verdmont visit with Bermuda cedar furniture expert Keith Adams.
• Berkeley Institute student Somaia Saltus came to Waterville after school and organised the BNT reference library. Somaia integrated many Bermuda books given to BNT by the family of the late Owen and Pamela Darrell.
• Groton School student Maya Luthi performed a range of administrative and curatorial tasks over several weeks. Among other tasks, Maya manned the front desk, sorted heritage files, rearranged an exhibit, and identified collections for the BNT calendar.

• Bermudian Olivia Adderley, who is returning to the University of Durham to commence her Master’s in Archaeology this Fall, completed a summer internship with the Trust. After joining the Smith’s Island Archaeology Project’s 2022 excavation, Olivia tackled an archaeological project spanning collections management, museum and exhibit design, and World Heritage policy.
• Top 2022 Warwick Academy graduate Sophia Banner also joined Dr. Michael Jarvis' dig at Smith’s Island early in the summer and later returned to work alongside Olivia for several days.

Opening our museum doors

Thanks to funding from the Bermuda Tourism Authority, BNT expanded the weekly hours of its World Heritage museums and joined other St. George’s stakeholders in a series of Heritage Festivals this summer. Corporate volunteer teams from Aeolus, PwC and Enstar also helped us to make huge strides at the museums to enhance the cultural tourism experiences we offer. And our wonderful museums team continued to open the doors of our three museums. A big thank you to everyone for all you do for BNT and Bermuda!

Our maintenance team got to work and put up plywood shutters on several BNT buildings, including Palmetto House and Verdmont. Palmetto House will get permanent blinds installed shortly.

Hurricane Fiona caused no significant damage to BNT properties. However, the southern gate at Verdmont and a window at Tivoli North suffered some damage.

Nonsuch Island

This is part of a series of architectural articles by the Bermuda National Trust to highlight some of Bermuda's endangered historic buildings.



by Linda Abend and Margie Lloyd

The mention of Nonsuch Island spontaneously brings to mind images of the Bermuda cahow, or petrel, especially their oh-so-cute fluffy chicks. The island however has played other important roles in Bermuda’s history.

The 15½ acre island of Nonsuch is marked on the 1636 map drawn by Willem Blaeu using Richard Norwood’s 1616/1617 survey. With its high cliffs and difficult approach it is not the most accessible of islands and remained part of the ‘common lands’ of St George’s, which generally meant for the use and maintenance of the governor, until 1759 when its lease was sold to Jonathan Burch for £25 plus an annual ‘quit rent’. By 1811 the lease had been acquired by Henry Todd who forbade persons from landing or bringing dogs as he was planning to raise deer. It doesn’t look as if this venture was successful and Nonsuch may have gone through a few more lease owners before being purchased for £15 in 1856 by barrister Duncan Stewart who lived at Ardsheal in Paget.

The yellow fever epidemic that began in the 1850s hit St George’s the hardest. Crewmen and passengers from arriving ships had to be isolated and treated. By 1862 there was a need for a Quarantine Hospital at the East End, and Nonsuch Island, with its elevated situation open to the sea breezes and remoteness from the mainland, was chosen. Duncan Stewart had died in 1861 and it wasn’t until 1865 that his widow sold the island to the Colonial Government for £300.

Click here to read the full article.

BNT Annual Raffle

Launch date: Tuesday, 6 September, 2022

Draw: Monday, 5 December at 10:00 am

More information

Trust Treasures Shop!

Open every Thursday, Friday and Saturday until December

10:00 am - 4:00 pm

More information

Trust Talk: Cartography of Loss with Kristin White & Yesha Townsend - New Date

Tuesday, 11 October, 2022 

6:00 pm - 7:30 pm

This is an in-person talk at BNT Headquarters, Waterville.

More information and purchase a ticket online

Virtual Trust Talk: Alliance of Gardens and Nature with Alyssa Vinson

Thursday, 13 October, 2022 

6:00 pm - 7:30 pm

This Zoom talk is free of charge.

More information and sign up

Volunteer Day: Gilbert Nature Reserve

Saturday, 15 October, 2022 

9:00 am - 12:00 pm

More information and to sign up

Funtastic Fall Camp

24 October – 28 October

Download registration form

‘A Haunting at Verdmont’- Department of Culture

Thursday, 27 October, 2022

7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Join the Department of Culture for an evening of story-telling at the historic and atmospheric Verdmont. Attendees will be treated to a variety of Bermudian folktales and original stories that highlight the island’s haunted heritage. Bring a comfortable blanket, something cozy to wear, and get your dose of Halloween goose bumps under the stars. Families and costumes are welcome. Treats will be available for guests, big and small, who decide to have costume fun. A light refreshment will be available to enjoy after the stories.

Click here to register - Please register by 25 October.

Student Art Competition

Deadline: Friday, 28 October 5:00 pm

More information

BNT Christmas Walkabout in the World Heritage Site

Friday, 2 December, 2022

6:00 pm - 9:00 pm

More information coming soon!

Museums' Opening Hours

Click here to view our museums' opening hours!

The Bermuda National Trust | bnt.bm