Thank you to almost a million of you who visited WWT's nine wetland centres in the 12 months to April 2018.
You are supporting huge amounts of conservation work around the world. Here's just a sample of what you've helped to achieve in the last three months - including a visit from the PM Theresa May, and an expedition to wild Madagascar:
Around the world
In Dubai, we taught conservationists how to catch flocks of birds by firing nets over the city's first internationally protected wetland. We also showed them how to ring, measure and check the weight and health of the birds they catch.
In Bangladesh, ‘headstarted’ Critically Endangered spoon-billed sandpipers that we reared and released in Russia have been spotted for the first time on migration. That means that wonderfully our headstarters have now been seen in all eight countries along its flyway (Russia, China, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan (ROC), Thailand, Myanmar and Bangladesh). They’re doing well!
In Madagascar:
In Poland, coverage of our Flight of the Swans expedition in 2016 has led to good relations being built with hunters. They have now led the way to a first ever change in Polish law to restrict hunting in locations that are important to struggling species like the Bewick’s swan.
In China:
In Sri Lanka, our CEO Martin Spray was part of a meeting of Ramsar, the world wetland conservation convention, to draw up draft resolutions for its meeting of parties in Dubai in October. Our Director of WWT Consulting was also in the country to join a local community to celebrate World Wetlands Day in Colombo, where we’ve helped to restore the city’s wetlands for the benefit of local communities and wildlife.
In Denmark, we joined international scientists to compare how computer modelling, based on past monitoring, could show how barnacle geese populations in Scotland might be affected by plans for controlled culling.
In Lithuania, we presented a series of talks and workshops on our research into how pink-footed geese interact with windfarms in the UK and red-breasted geese interact with windfarms in Bulgaria.
In the Russian arctic we organised a workshop for conservationists and researchers to plan activities to reduce the illegal hunting of Bewick’s swans. A WWT research paper is in preparation which will show hunters are unfortunately often misidentifying protected species.
In Kenya, we provided research support for governments negotiating a resolution on health and the environment, at the UN Environment Assembly. The resolution encourages international efforts to reduce poisoning caused by lead-based ammunition in hunting. As part of the Assembly, the UN set the direction for reducing plastics in oceans. With help from Blue Planet II shortly afterwards, this has kick-started a global effort to reduce single-use plastic consumption.
In Surrey, we’re working closely with the Environment Agency on plans for a flood relief scheme for the River Thames, including potential for new wetlands near the Thorpe Park Leisure Resort.
In Tayside, we’ve installed a series of weirs primed with monitoring equipment as part of a project with University College London looking at the impact of introduced beavers on rivers.
In Somerset:
At Slamannan, midway between Edinburgh and Glasgow, satellite tags on two taiga bean geese helped to show where this species is feeding and roosting in local wetlands. The birds have now left for Denmark, but sadly not before an illegal shooting incident. Police are investigating.
In the Inner Hebrides islands, we caught nearly 200 Greenland barnacle geese in order to measure their condition and ring them. This is part of fieldwork to understand how controlled culling is affecting this endemic population.
In Cardiff, we’re helping the Welsh Government to introduce a new sustainable drainage law by drafting new guidelines for them. The guidelines will help developers design drainage systems that will improve water quality, flood resilience and biodiversity.
In Enfield, we built a new sustainable drainage system which will clean and store water at Prince of Wales Primary School and Children’s Centre. 200 children have joined in so far with learning activities based around the rain garden.
In Slough, several hundred schoolchildren from five schools joined in a day of conservation on World Wetlands Day in February. Alongside them our dedicated volunteer group built a bridge, redesigned the stream channel, cleared back trees and shrubs and cleaned up litter. Well done all!
In Salford, our design for the Environment Agency’s new £10m flood relief wetland was completed. The 5 hectare urban wetland will help to protect nearly 2,000 homes and businesses from flooding. The wetland will open to the public in the spring.
At Westminster:
At London, the Prime Minister Theresa May and Environment Secretary Michael Gove chose our wetland centre to launch the Government’s long awaited 25 Year Environment Plan. They discussed the plan with WWT’s policy team while birdwatching in one of our hides.
At Washington, we helped pensioner Tommy Hagan to tick off one of his bucket list dreams – to meet some black swans. Working with mental health charity Mind Mosaic, Tommy’s bucket list is part of therapy to put an abused childhood behind him. We’ve now named our pair of black swans after Tommy and his wife Gloria.
At Martin Mere, we've got planning permission for a new pond dipping area. This will be fed by rainwater channelled from the roofs of the restaurant and a new pagoda which will shelter visiting school parties as they learn about aquatic minibeasts.
At Slimbridge:
At Llanelli, we’ve created a new pond area next to the main entrance. We’re planting it up in spring and it will be fed by rainwater running off the visitor centre roof.