The Bermuda National Trust will hold a community day at Spittal Pond next weekend.

Karen Border, the organisation’s executive director, said trees will be planted on a new berm at the reserve during the free event on January 27.

The BNT submitted plans for the berm in June 2023, and the barrier, which protects the pond from pollutants and run-off from a nearby farm, is complete.

The organisation is also repairing a fence at the farm to prevent the cows from straying onto the pond.

Ms Border said: “We are looking for volunteers to help plant the new berm with native and endemic species, and you will have the chance to learn more about the site’s natural history in the process.

“There will be two opportunities to plant on the berm, the first at 10am and the second at 12pm.”

In addition to planting, the BNT will showcase a new sign that reinterprets Portuguese Rock next Saturday.

A sailor carved letters and the year 1543 into the rock in the 16th century, making it the earliest physical sign of human presence on the island.

The site, which the Government transferred to the BNT in 1976, was originally called Spanish Rock, but was renamed in 2009 after research suggested that the letters stand for Rex Portugalis, Latin for King of Portugal.

Ms Border said: “The shipwrecked mariners who engraved it were likely from a slave-trading vessel, and the reinterpretation acknowledges this link to the Atlantic slave trade.

“Our heritage team will be on hand to answer your questions about the site and its evolving story as part of the trust’s commitment to reimagining sites of enslavement under our care.”

She said Spittal Pond had been polluted by run-off from the adjacent dairy farm years, especially since hurricanes damaged the fence that prevented the cows from getting in.

Myles Darrell, head of natural heritage for BNT, explained: “Last year, we secured a Darwin Plus Local grant from the UK Department of the Environment, to reinstate the fence to stop the cows getting to the pond and to create an embankment or berm to prevent run-off of pollutants into the pond.

“The goal is to improve the health of the pond and at the same time increase the presence of native and endemic plants at the reserve.

“We are looking for volunteers to help plant the new berm and they will have the chance to learn more about the site’s natural history in the process.”

Charlotte Andrews, head of cultural heritage at BNT, said the change of the sign at Portuguese Rock was “informed by a Curb-facilitated focus group with members of the community who responded to an open invite to join a group discussion about the site and its signage”.

Dr Andrews added: “Our heritage team will be on hand to answer questions about the site and its evolving story as part of the trust’s commitment to reimagining sites of enslavement under our care.”

Participants can sign up online.

The activities run from 10am to 1pm on January 27, with February 3 as a rain date.

For the first planting session, running from 10am until 11am, participants should meet at the west car park. Groups should meet at the same location for the second planting session, from noon until 1pm.

Parking can be accessed at the east and west car parks, with extra space on the field behind the Harrington Hundreds supermarket.

• UPDATE: this article has been updated with additional information and comments