Jane Gilmour took semi-retirement at the end of June this year from the day to day management of the Guernsey Biological Record Centre.
Jane Gilmour
Botanist and Ecologist with over 30 years experience in the field in Guernsey, including taking part and organising in various surveys, such as the survey of our quarries and of plant galls. I currently co-ordinate a ‘tunnels and fortifications’ bat study. An exciting discovery is that the Greater Horseshoe Bat is here for at least part of the year. We had considered it extinct so this is great news.
I am a past Chairman of both the Reserves and Scientific Committees of La Société Guernesiaise and the current BSBI vice-county recorder for Guernsey and Herm. I can be found surveying and recording a variety of plants and animals, as well as taking part in practical management activities such as raking grasslands and removing invasive plants.
I also garden with wildlife in mind, especially looking at ways of ensuring a wide range of native animals and plants can be accommodated in such confined spaces. Bumble bees are a particular focus, as their numbers can be dramatically influenced by sympathetic planting and management and they are suffering badly due to loss of habitat, not helped by the recent extremes of weather.
A Personal Thank-You
Dear Jane,
I would like to personally congratulate you on your retirement. I have enjoyed volunteering with you over the last couple of years and consider you both a fount of incredible knowledge and expertise, local and global, a friend and an enjoyable presence in the office, as well.
While you will be missed by all of us, you certainly deserve your retirement. Your hard work and diligence have greatly benefited us, the Société, innumerable committees you’ve chaired or been a member of, and the local community. Your contributions, dedication and passion for ecology, education, conservation and willingness to help everyone will be sorely missed here at the Record Centre. Although I do hope to tempt you pop in and continue to inspire and educate!
It has always been my pleasure to work with you. So, while I am saddened to see you go, I am confident that you will find the same success and happiness in retirement that you experienced during your time here.
I wish you the best in your future endeavours. Retirement will surely offer you many new opportunities, which I know you will embrace wholeheartedly, just as you did during your tenure at the Record Centre.
Elizabeth