WWT

Exciting habitat news 📢 We’re happy to announce that WWT has agreed the purchase of 148-hectares of low-lying land on the Awre peninsula for a pioneering saltmarsh restoration project. As part of our mission to restore wetlands and unlock their power, we plan to create a new saltmarsh nature reserve on the site in the Forest of Dean. Acting as a haven for wildlife and a nature reserve for the local community, it will also be a hub for new research. The restored space will allow us to study the superpowers of saltmarshes to store carbon, boost biodiversity and improve flood resilience. Kevin Peberdy, WWT’s Deputy Chief Executive said: “We believe this is the best site on the Severn Estuary for saltmarsh restoration to maximise the multiple benefits of wetlands for people and nature. Our intention is that this new reserve will be an asset for the community, bringing a wealth of wetland wildlife, a new way to connect with nature and an upgraded flood defence.” Find out more about the power of saltmarsh and our plans for the site here: https://lnkd.in/eJR9YdNa #Saltmarsh #Wetlands #Conservation #HabitatRestoration

Protecting black-tailed godwits goes a long way. They might weigh just 250g, but these elegant birds fly from the UK to West Africa and back every year. Along the way, they use a range of wetlands, from lowland wet grasslands to peaty fenlands and saltmarshes as rest stops and feeding grounds. But right now, they desperately need our help. Donate today and have your donation doubled via the Big Give: wwt.org.uk/biggive Godwit Futures is a partnership between WWT, RSPB and Natural England #BigGive #Conservation #Godwits #Wildlife

We’re thrilled to receive a grant of £230,000 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, which will go towards our WWT Early Careers Project. 🌿 This grant will help us to build on the existing success of the project in a third phase called “Grow”. Thanks to previous support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund we’ve been able to: - Identify skills gaps and ensure young people have clear and accessible pathways into the conservation sector - Hire 21 new paid student placements across eight of our sites - Grow our apprenticeship offering from two to five, with plans to increase this in the future We’re excited to continue breaking down barriers and creating new opportunities for people from all walks of life to have a fulfilling career in conservation. #EarlyCareers #Conservation #ConservationCareers

Bogify Wrapped just landed 🌿 We’ve shared ours, but we’d love to hear about your biggest wetlands wins in 2024! #SpotifyWrapped #Wetlands #Conservation #Wildlife

Habitat destruction, predators and climate change have driven black-tailed godwits near to extinction in the UK, but together, we can save them. One donation, twice the impact – from the 3 to the 10 December, your donation to help save breeding black-tailed godwits and their wetland homes, will be doubled via Big Give. Find out how your donation can help these amazing birds: wwt.org.uk/biggive Godwit Futures is a partnership between WWT, RSPB and Natural England. #Godwit #Conservation #Wildlife

Look who’s come a’ Knockin’ 🦢 We’re so happy that more pairs of Bewick’s swans have been arriving back in the UK over the past few weeks. Arrivals include Knockin’ and Ringin’, who were named to celebrate the support of players of People's Postcode Lottery, who've raised over £5.9million in support of WWT’s work since 2015. Thanks to the players of People's Postcode Lottery we’re able to continue our study of Bewick’s swans, following on from our Founder Sir Peter Scott and his research into these magnificent birds. Find out more about the Bewick’s swans here https://lnkd.in/e35qwKCt #BewicksSwan #Swan #Migration #Conservation #Wildlife

So you’re saying it’s going to get COLDER? 👀 Well, maybe. Before we welcome the official start of the cold season with meteorological winter tomorrow, it’s the perfect time to reflect on all the exciting things that have happened at our sites this Autumn. From sightings of the migratory hawker dragonfly at Castle Espie, to a WWT first of cattle egrets breeding on-site at Arundel, it’s been a wonderfully busy Autumn. Llanelli saw a magnificent number of waders after a successful restoration of the Saline Lagoon banks, and Steart Marshes saw the first successful nesting of bearded reedlings. Discover more of the amazing things that have been spotted across the UK at WWT sites on our website https://lnkd.in/enhYPWqj #Wetlands #Autumn #Winter #WinterIsHere #December #RoundUp

Where there's water, there's life! 💧 A mini wildlife pond is great way to give local nature a boost. We spent a wonderful day with our partners Invesco EMEA in Henley-on-Thames over the summer to help them set up their own mini wildlife pond in their office gardens. And what an amazing mini pond the team managed to create! A massive thank you to everyone at Invesco who dived in and got involved with the project and for the perfect presenters Dachinii Lee-Hewitt and Yemaya Lee-Hewitt from ananci studio. Discover the top tips for building your own mini pond on our YouTube now: https://lnkd.in/eAxYk6-h Want to find out how you can unlock the power of wetlands and provide a much-needed habitat for local wildlife at your work? You can reach out to our team at: [email protected] #Wetlands #Ponds #TeamActivity #TeamBuilding

Curlew conservation update 📢 Over the past four years, we’ve successfully released 107 curlew onto Dartmoor, and we have one more year to go in this five-year project. This work began in 2019 when the Duchy of Cornwall approached us to look at the possibility of headstarting curlew using eggs collected under license from RAF Airbases. Our headstarted curlew have now been spotted in estuaries in Spain and Portugal! We're hoping they'll make their way back over to Dartmoor to start families of their own, contributing to a sustainable population on the moors. By tagging these curlew we can keep an eye on them and determine how successful our work is in protecting them. Read more about this amazing project in this Devon Live article: https://lnkd.in/eQJD3YDU #Curlew #Dartmoor #DuchyOfCornwall #Conservation #ConservationSuccess