Welney Wetland Centre, which has protected wetlands wildlife for over 50 years, has been named as one of the world’s best.
The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) site won the Star Wetland Centre award at the Conference of the Global Wetlands Convention, known as Ramsar COP14, in Geneva, Switzerland this week.
“We are delighted to have been recognised as a Star Wetland Centre at WWT Welney”, Leigh Marshall, manager at Welney Wetland Centre, said.
“Our wetlands provide vital homes, food and water for an abundance of wildlife, including plant life.”
Welney was one of 23 wetland centres to receive the award, which aims to recognise best practice in eco-tourism and education at wetlands.
One of WWT Welney’s most recent projects was hatching, nurturing and releasing over 200 critically endangered hand-raised black-tailed godwits in June.
“We witness how vital protected wetlands are for wild Bewick’s and Whooper swans who arrive in flocks each winter, to the rare black-tailed godwits that breed on a handful of sites in the Fens each spring,” said Mr Marshall.
Ramsar aims to conserve and promote “the wise use of all wetlands through local and national actions and international cooperation, as a contribution towards achieving sustainable development throughout the world”.
The award is co-ordinated by Wetland Link International (WLI), a global support network for staff and volunteers at 300 wetland visitor centres.
Judges were impressed by WWT Welney’s conservation actions, including for waterbirds.
Anna Bennett, tourism and town centre manager at Visit Ely, praised WWT Welney on the accolade.
“The East of England have many wonderful things to capture the imagination of the local residents and the visitor,” she said.
“The Welney Wetland Centre is one of the finest, [so] this news and accolade are truly and richly deserved.”
WWT Welney, which has been protecting wetlands and wetland wildlife on the Ouse Washes since 1967, opened its first hide three years later.
Since then, the site has been home to wintering swans and ducks, and is a key area for breeding birds in the spring amid a declining amount of wet grassland habitat.
A spokesperson for WWT Welney said the centre aims to “inspire and inform people as to the threats facing wetlands and why we need to protect these habitats”.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here