Habitat maintenance supports environmental efforts at Guernsey Airport

Grasslands encompassing 80 hectares at Guernsey Airport are estimated to absorb and store around 800 tonnes of CO2 every year.

Grassland restoration and habitat works have recently been carried out at Guernsey Airport. This involved using three tractors with specialist equipment to remove thatch and dead grass.

The Airport’s grasslands play an important environmental role, as a healthy sward captures and stores CO2. Careful management of these areas helps to cultivate species-rich grasslands for carbon sequestration, instead of releasing it back into the atmosphere. 

Head of Airside Operations Matt Capazario said: "The type of grass seen across the aerodrome is a genetically modified ‘tall fescue’, which is formulated to be sown on areas surrounding the airport’s runway. It is designed to discourage birds and helps to reduce the likelihood of aircraft bird strikes. Additionally, the tall, upright stems and deep root structures assist in storing CO2.”

“Our grass sward captures around 10 tonnes of CO2 per hectare annually. We have approximately 80 hectares across the aerodrome, which equates to 800 tonnes of CO2 removed and stored by the grass sward each year.

“The grass sward was fully re-instated in 2014 following the Airport Rehabilitation project. In that time, the grass sward has stored around 10,000 tonnes of CO2 – which equates to around 2,700 full return flights between Guernsey and London Gatwick in an ATR 72.”