The Isle of Man is a whole-nation UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, reflecting it is a special place for people and the rest of nature. In our regular feature, authors from different walks of Manx life offer a personal perspective on #MyBiosphere. This month, Alice Watson – advocate and Biosphere IOM Youth Representative - writes:

My love for the Isle of Man took root when I was only three years old.

One of my clearest early memories is of lambing a ewe at Kennaa with my grandad. I can still feel his steady hands gently guiding mine as we carefully helped deliver a lamb that was stuck.

A few moments later, I carried that tiny lamb which felt almost as big as me at the time across the field to the barn, wrapped snugly in my coat to keep it warm.

Just days afterwards, I stood watching it playing through the grass with its sibling, bathed in the beautiful golden rays of a Manx spring morning. That pure, simple joy has stayed with me ever since. Even now, with my grandad no longer here, the sight of lambs playing in the fields each spring brings him back to me and warms my heart.

These moments planted the first seeds of what I now recognise as our island’s living Biosphere - that gentle harmony between people, land, and sea that my grandparents embodied every day.

Those early experiences shaped so much of what I value today. My grandparents taught me the quiet virtues of nurturing, patience, motivation and respect for the land. Growing up at my grandparents’ farm and at our plant nurseries, I spent every school holiday immersed in nature.

I learnt that we are but a small part of this world, and that the wisest way to live is to work gently with nature and with one another.

I have always been an outdoors girl through and through. There is so much to do on our island, from kayaking along the dramatic coastline and paddleboarding in the sheltered waters of Port Erin to scuba diving in Douglas.

Yet there’s little I love more than a good long walk in the Manx countryside, taking in the ever-changing landscapes, or tackling the challenge of the Parish Walk. Whether I’m walking the old heritage railway lines on a crisp morning, watching the elegant choughs riding the winds above the Chasms, or volunteering up at the Ayres among darting lizards, colourful orchids, seals and seabirds, the island’s landscapes continue to steal my heart.

The truth is, this is a remarkably special place to live, work and visit. At times it’s all too easy to overlook the simple joys all around us.

As a Biosphere Youth Representative, I’m especially keen to help other young people create their own special memories whether through farm visits, guided walks at the Ayres, or simply sharing stories like this one so they too fall in love with our island’s rich culture, history and extraordinary natural heritage.

By sharing these deep connections, I hope we can all play our part in protecting this beautiful place not just for today, but for every generation that comes after us.