The Channel Islands stand at a natural crossroads where birds, animals, and plants from the north meet those from further south. This creates a fascinating blend of wildlife, especially on the island of Sark.
Measuring just three miles long and a mile and a half wide, Sark’s cliff tops are undeveloped, with no intensive farming, few built-up areas, and a population of under 600. Ancient hedge banks divide small fields, and salty heathlands, wooded valleys, and sheltered pastures form a patchwork of natural habitats where wildlife flourishes.
With no government conservation department and little public land, caring for Sark’s wildlife falls mainly on landowners. Land is mostly still divided into 40 plots, or tenements, created by the island’s first Seigneur in 1565.
In 1975, La Société Sercquaise was established to study, preserve, and enhance Sark’s environment and cultural heritage. Today, it runs projects to monitor and protect wildlife, including bat, bee, and bird surveys, and land management to safeguard rare wild flowers.
Some of these natural treasures appear on Sark’s first set of definitive stamps. Among the 15 wild flower species featured are rarities like the Sand Crocus, which blooms only on sunny spring days, and a variety of Sea Lavender unique to Sark. Others are common blooms such as Bluebells, Honeysuckle, and Primroses - celebrating the flora that makes Sark special for visitors and residents alike.
