Young people were given an opportunity to connect with the environment during an annual tour of the Spittal Pond nature reserve today.

About 200 children, parents, grandparents and camp leaders took part.

They were offered engaging insights into the pond’s ecosystem as well as its animal and plant life during the free, guided tour organised by the Bermuda National Trust.

In small groups, the visitors walked at 15-minute intervals throughout the morning and gained insights into the island’s rich cultural heritage at key landmarks such as Portuguese Rock and Jeffrey’s Cave at the site.

Karen Border, the BNT’s executive director, said: “This annual event is a wonderful opportunity for children to immerse themselves in nature and explore Bermuda’s largest nature reserve.

“We are thrilled to see so many families and camp groups eager to learn about our island’s unique habitats and wildlife.”

The BNT said that throughout the walk, the children engaged environmental experts including Myles Darrell, its head of natural heritage, who introduced them to the reserve.

Dörte Horsfield, of the BNT, provided insights into pond life, while Mark Outerbridge of the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo explained pond ecology and conservation.

Erich Hetzel and Janice Hetzel of the Bermuda Audubon Society guided the children in spotting and identifying local and migratory birds.

Spittal Pond is one of Bermuda’s most spectacular open spaces, the BNT said, protected in trust for the community by the charity.

The 64-mile reserve is the island’s largest bird sanctuary and the BNT said it provides a diverse range of habitats that attract a variety of birds, especially during migration seasons.

Portuguese Rock ― the oldest known evidence of human presence on the island and Jeffrey’s Cave ― where an enslaved man is said to have hidden for several weeks to escape captivity, are among the standout sites at the reserve.

The significance of Jeffrey’s Cave was highlighted by Kim Dismont-Robinson and during the event Ronald Burchall of the BNT spoke about Portuguese Rock.

Robbie Smith, of BAMZ, explained the geological forces behind Spittal Pond’s striking “checker board” rock formation.

The visitors were treated to a special moment observing humpback whales spouting and surfacing offshore while talking with whale researcher Andrew Stevenson.

The reserve is jointly managed by the BNT and the Government of Bermuda.

• For more information about Spittal Pond, private tours, or volunteer opportunities with BNT’s nature reserves, e-mail Myles Darrell at myles.darrell@bnt.bm

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