The Minister of Public Works and Environment has paid tribute to David Wingate, whose work helped save Bermuda’s endemic cahow and reshaped the island’s conservation.
The Minister of Public Works and Environment, the Hon. Jaché Adams, JP, MP, has paid tribute to David Wingate, whose pioneering work changed the course of conservation and natural history in Bermuda.
Minister Adams said David Wingate “fundamentally changed the course of Bermuda’s natural history and helped shape modern conservation on the island”.
Wingate’s association with the cahow began in 1951, when, at just 15 years old, he joined the expedition that confirmed the survival of Bermuda’s endemic petrel after it had been believed extinct for centuries.
A lifetime devoted to the cahow
Over the following decades, Wingate helped develop practical conservation methods to protect the cahow, including improvements to nesting habitat and artificial burrows, according to the Ministry.
The recovery programme he helped establish continues today. The survival of the cahow remains one of Bermuda’s most significant conservation achievements, the Ministry said.
Restoring Nonsuch Island
His contribution extended beyond a single species. At Nonsuch Island, he pioneered the restoration of native and endemic habitat and helped create the “Living Museum” concept.
His work demonstrated that degraded landscapes could recover and native species could return. That approach continues to inform restoration work today.
Wingate also helped build Bermuda’s conservation community, sharing his knowledge with generations of conservation officers, naturalists, students and volunteers. He was one of the founding members of the Nonsuch Natural History Course and contributed to the restoration vision for Trunk Island.
Minister’s condolences
Minister Adams said: “David Wingate changed what Bermudians believed was possible in conservation. He helped bring a species back from the brink of extinction and showed that damaged habitats could be restored.”
“On behalf of the Ministry of Public Works and Environment, I extend my sincere condolences to David Wingate’s family, friends, former colleagues and Bermuda’s conservation community.”
“Bermuda has lost a pioneer of modern conservation. The cahow survives. Nonsuch lives again. The people he taught continue the work.”
