Bank of Butterfield Employee Shared Trust (BEST) donated $500 to aid research to preserve Bermuda's natural environment.

The funds will be used for analysis to detect whether significant amounts of damaging petroleum hydrocarbons and heavy materials are contained in storm water run-off from Bermuda's roads. Analysis will also be done to determine if any of the contaminants are poisoning amphibians or other wildlife.

The importance of the project cannot be understated, according to Dr. Jamie Bacon, principal investigator of the Bermuda Amphibian Research Project. “The entire community can benefit from this type of research because the health of all of Bermuda's inhabitants, human or otherwise, is ultimately linked to the health of the environment,” she said.

“Bermuda's environment is a fragile one, and we have evidence that it has become toxic, at least to amphibians. Now we need to determine how the environment is being contaminated in order to preserve it for the future.”

Launched by Bank of Butterfield in 2001, BEST is an employee-driven programme that combines voluntary employee donations with matching Bank contributions. BEST invests in community projects under the direction of participating Bank employees. The Bermuda Zoological Society was chosen to help fulfil BEST's commitment to support conservation and environmental causes. Other BEST causes include education, health & human services, and civic and community service.