Many
RSPB reserves open for Easter
RSPB
The RSPB will be
re-opening some of its most popular nature reserves this Easter, following
the lifting of a blanket closure of reserves during the foot and mouth
crisis.
Among those reserves
which will offer some access to trails and hides are well-known sites
such as Minsmere, Leighton Moss, Lake Vyrnwy and the Loch Garten Osprey
Centre. The RSPB’s Operations Director, Dr. Mike Clarke, said: “We
are keen to play our part in helping the public re-visit the countryside
where there is no practical risk of spreading the foot and mouth virus.
The RSPB reserves we plan to open for Easter receive around 75 per cent
of our total visitors, so we are confident that we can once again provide
a stimulating and enjoyable wildlife experience for our members and the
public in the countryside”.
Following Government
guidelines RSPB staff have assessed the risk of spreading the virus at
each nature reserve, and have taken into account the views of neighbours,
farmers, local authorities and other partners. The RSPB will keep its
nature reserves closed wherever there is a risk in the fight to prevent
the spread of disease, although the Society will keep all its 160 sites
under active review. Up-to-date information on reserves open is available
at the RSPB’s website, www.rspb.org.uk
, from a special telephone hotline on 01767 680551 or from regional offices
and reserves.
The RSPB manages
160 nature reserves in the UK covering 250,000 acres. Many of these reserves
are maintained with the use of farming practices to benefit wildlife.
There are currently around 20,000 livestock on about 50 of the Society’s
reserves. The RSPB has suspended its extensive agricultural work programme
which it runs in association with farmers.
The Society carries
out a wide range of survey, monitoring and advisory work with farmers
across the UK involving hundreds of staff and volunteers. This work has
now either been postponed or cancelled altogether until the crisis is
over.
RSPB reserves which
can be visited from the Easter weekend:
- Central England
- Rye Meads, Hertfordshire (Majority of reserve open; some areas
still closed.)
- The Lodge, (Shop open; public footpath open) East Anglia
- Strumpshaw Fen, Norfolk Broads (Restricted access from 13 April)
- Minsmere, Suffolk (East hide accessible from beach from National
Trust car park at Dunwich Heath)
- North Warren, Suffolk (Open)
- Snettisham, Norfolk (Open)
- Titchwell Marsh, Norfolk -visitor centre and reserve open)
North of England
- Blacktoft Sands, Yorkshire (Open)
- North West England
- Marshside, Merseyside (Visitor centre open)
- Ribble Discovery Centre (Open)
- Leighton Moss, Lancashire (Access to three hides now open; visitor
centre open)
- South East England
- Pulborough Brooks, West Sussex (Limited access to one hide from
13 April; visitor centre open)
- South West England
- Avon Heath Country Park, Dorset (Restricted opening at North Park;
access visitor centre 9am-7pm)
- Lodmoor, Dorset (Open)
- Radipole Lake, Dorset (Open)
- Exe Estuary, Devon (One hide open)
- Land’s End, Cornwall (Discovery Centre open Thursday to Sunday)
- Northern Ireland
- Belfast Lough (Limited opening)
- Portmore Lough (Information centre open)
- East Scotland
- Vane Farm, Perth & Kinross (Hill trail and hides open; visitor
centre and shop open)
- Northern Scotland
- Abernethy Forest, Highland (Mostly open)
- Culbin Sands, Highland (Open from East Beach municipal car-park)
- Fairy Glen, Highland (Footpath through reserve open)
- Forsinard, Highland (Peat bog trail open; visitor centre open)
- Glenborrodale, Highland (Woodland trail open)
- Insh Marshes, Highland (Aspen trail open, access via Loch Insh
water sports centre only)
- Loch Garten Osprey Centre & Shop (Open)
- Udale Bay, Highland (Hide open)
- South & West Scotland
- Baron’s Haugh, North Lanarkshire (Trail to hides open)
- Coll, Argyll & Bute (Open with local restrictions)
- Lochwinnoch, Renfrewshire (Aird Meadow trail, shop and 3 hides
open)
- Wales
- Conwy, Conwy (Trails to 3 hides open; visitor centre open)
- Lake Vyrnwy, Powys (Three hides open; shop open)
- Mawddach Valley, Gwynedd (Limited access to public footpaths;
visitor centre open)
- South Stack Cliffs, Anglesey (Restricted access to reserve and
Ellin’s Tower visitor centre)
Click
here for a complete list of books about bird reserves
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