Message from the Executive Director | | |
One of the highlights of the BNT year is the presentation of the Annual Awards, which this year took place at Verdmont on 25 June. The awards were presented by Trust President Mark Orchard and the Hon. Jache Adams, Minister of Public Works and Environment.
The awards honour individuals, schools and organisations whose work helps protect and promote Bermuda’s natural and cultural heritage, or who have given exceptional service to the Trust.
BNT’s highest honour - the Palmetto Award - was presented to the Christian Humann Foundation in recognition of its outstanding financial support of the Trust for more than 30 years. The President’s Award was presented to the Friends of Verdmont group, led by David Lang, for over 20 years of dedicated work in the Verdmont gardens.
The Michael Darling Shield for Heritage Education was awarded to Paget Primary School for its whole-school project, Bermuda Heroes. Now in its eighth year, the project encourages students to research and interview individuals they consider community heroes.
The Bermudiana Award for Natural Heritage Impact was presented to Andrew Stevenson. For more than 25 years, Andrew has conducted tireless research, advocacy and hands-on conservation work, deepening understanding of humpback whales and their vital role in Bermuda’s marine ecosystem. Nekorrah Raynor received the Outstanding Young Environmentalist Award in recognition of his passionate advocacy for the preservation of Southlands National Park.
The Cedar Award for Cultural Heritage was awarded to the City of Hamilton for the Fort Hamilton Project, a landmark undertaking that has safeguarded and revitalised one of Bermuda’s most important historic fortifications.
There were two winners of the DeForest Trimingham Awareness Award this year: Horst Augustinovic, a researcher and author whose passion for Bermuda’s history has resulted in a remarkable body of published work including Bermuda in Wartime, What You May Not Know About Bermuda, and 200 Years of Bermuda Postage Stamps; and Meredith Ebbin, whose Bermuda Biographies website features more than 66 meticulously researched and engagingly written biographies.
The full list of 2026 awardees and photographs can be found here. Congratulations and thank you to all of them for their valuable efforts!
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Karen Border
Executive Director
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Christian Humann Foundation receiving
the Palmetto Award
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Friends of Verdmont receiving
the President’s Award
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Andrew Stevenson receiving
the Bermudiana Award
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City of Hamilton receiving
the Cedar Award for Cultural Heritage
| | Horst Augustinovic and Meredith Ebbin receiving the DeForest Trimingham Awareness Award | | |
Paget Primary School receiving
the Michael Darling Shield for Heritage Education
| | Staff Long-Service Awards | | Congratulations to Vincent Chaves, Head of Finance, Donella Perinchief, Accounts Administrator and Duane Symonds, Building Maintenance Technician, who have each reached their 15 year milestone working for BNT. They are all dedicated, skilled employees who are a pleasure to work with. | | |
Vincent Chaves,
Head of Finance
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Donella Perinchief,
Accounts Administrator
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Duane Symonds,
Building Maintenance Technician
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Natural Heritage Updates
Myles Darrell, Head of Natural Heritage
| | A Little Nonsuch in the West | | |
Anyone who has visited Palm and Morgan's islands in recent years will have noticed a remarkable transformation underway. Islands heavily impacted by invasive species are steadily becoming a showcase for native and endemic restoration, thanks largely to the support of the Steinhoff Family Trust and the tireless efforts of Bob Steinhoff.
This restoration project is truly Bob's passion project. Over the years, he has dedicated countless hours to removing invasive species and planting hundreds of native and endemic plants.
In many ways, Palm and Morgan's islands are becoming a little Nonsuch Island in the west. While smaller in scale, the vision is similar: restoring natural habitats that can support Bermuda's unique plants and wildlife while providing future generations with an opportunity to experience our natural heritage.
The results are evident. During a recent visit, we were fortunate to spot one of Bermuda's elusive Barn Owls. We also continue to find Bermuda's endemic land snails Poecilozonites bermudensis, reintroduced to the islands in 2019. While the population remains under pressure from rats and continues to face significant challenges, their persistence is encouraging and demonstrates that restoration efforts are creating suitable habitat. Determining how best to reduce predator pressure and support the long-term survival of these snails remains an important goal for the future.
New signage has recently been installed on the islands stating that they are protected habitat. We ask visitors to help protect these fragile ecosystems by remaining below the high-tide line. Poison ivy is also abundant across the islands, making this the safest option for both visitors and wildlife.
The progress at Palm and Morgan's islands demonstrates what can be achieved through dedication, patience and a clear conservation vision. Thanks to Bob Steinhoff's commitment and the support of the Steinhoff Family Trust, these islands are becoming an increasingly important refuge for Bermuda's native wildlife and a living example of conservation in action.
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Cultural Heritage Updates
Dr Charlotte Andrews, Head of Cultural Heritage
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Marking America’s 250th Anniversary
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This July, BNT is marking the 250th anniversary of American Independence with an Open House at the Globe Museum and an information leaflet explaining Bermuda's connections to the American Revolution.
The American Revolution was more than a struggle between Britain and its thirteen colonies. It was an Atlantic story involving merchants, sailors, soldiers, families and communities across the region. Bermuda's strategic location, maritime networks and influential families placed the island at the heart of these events. The island's economy and society were deeply intertwined with systems of enslavement that connected Bermuda with Britain, Africa, the Caribbean and North America. As tensions grew between Britain and the American colonies, Bermudians found themselves divided by competing loyalties, family relationships and commercial interests, reflecting the complex relationships that shaped both Bermuda and the emerging United States.
To mark the anniversary, the US Consulate General and BNT are hosting an open house at Globe Museum on Thursday, 2 July, from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm. Visitors are invited to meet US Consul General Antoinette Hurtado and discover Bermuda's role in the American Revolution. We will also offer free admission to Globe from 2 to 4 July.
| | Uncovering Bermuda's Earliest Story | | |
Another successful field season has concluded for the Smith's Island Archaeology Project (SIAP). Led by Dr Michael Jarvis in partnership with BNT, the project is investigating one of Bermuda's earliest seventeenth-century settlements. Each summer, archaeologists, university students and volunteers excavate the site, uncovering new evidence of how Bermuda's first settlers lived, adapted to their new environment and helped shape the early Atlantic world.
Led by Dr Jarvis, the 2026 SIAP team includes primary supervisor Ewan Shannon, Bermudian archaeologist Xander Cook, University of Rochester students Andrew Levin, Lexi Woerth, Rebecca Lash, Rosa Mendez, and Lab Manager Valerie M.J. Hall. Local volunteers included Andrew Cooper, Richard Goodwin, Rachael Hayward, Martin Kenny and Eleanor Desmond-Kenny, Katrina Ponti and Cowan Ramirez. Somers Market, the Department of Sport & Recreation, Neil & Samantha Moncrieff, Dr Edward Schultz, and others have all provided in-kind support to the season.
Public engagement remains central to the project. This season, Dr Michael Jarvis and the SIAP team welcomed members of the public on two guided tours of the excavations on Smith's Island, offering a rare opportunity to visit the active dig, see archaeological features firsthand and hear about the latest discoveries directly from the researchers. Participants also visited BNT's archaeology laboratory at Globe Museum, where artefacts from the excavation are cleaned, catalogued and conserved before being studied and interpreted.
If you would like to learn more about the project and its latest discoveries, join us for an upcoming BNT Trust Talk with Dr Michael Jarvis, who will share this season's findings and explain how archaeology is reshaping our understanding of Bermuda's earliest history – see flyer below for details. It promises to be a fascinating evening for anyone interested in archaeology, history and Bermuda's place in the Atlantic world. You can also check out the SIAP blog here.
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Heritage Education Updates
Anna Stevenson, Heritage Education Manager
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It has been another wonderful year in heritage education. During the 2025/26 academic year, we delivered 5,057 learning experiences to students of all ages, supporting over 300 teachers and educators. We led 131 field trips and delivered multiple online learning sessions to over 650 P4 and P5 public school students. We partnered with the St George’s Foundation, the Friends of St Peter’s Church and the Department of Education to deliver impactful on-site educational experiences.
The student art competition saw a record number of entries; we curated and delivered new historic walking tours; and we held the wettest Children’s Nature Walk in living memory!
This year, there are five brand-new holiday camps running for your children to enjoy - Roots and Rhythms, Nature Detectives, Trash to Treasure and Hunt for the Lost Treasure, with Pond Detectives scheduled for October half term. We still have a few places available for the summer so don’t forget to check our website for details.
| | Bermuda Peach Trees for Sale | | |
Thanks to all the recent rain, there has never been a better time to plant! These beautiful young trees are thriving and ready to become part of your garden, orchard, or backyard.
Whether you're looking to grow your own fruit, support local biodiversity, or simply add something special to your garden, these peach trees are a fantastic opportunity.
3-gallon Bermuda peach trees
$65 each - Limited availability
Available at Waterville, 2 Pomander Road, Paget.
For more information contact 236-6483 or email palmetto@bnt.bm
| | The Bermuda National Trust | bnt.bm | | | | | |
