2007 04 Newport Wetlands Centre - Sue Rice, Countryside Council for Wales

Newport WetlandsEnvironmental Educationand Visitor Centre Project

• 1996 Cardiff Bay Bill passed

• 1998 Construction of NWR started

• 2000 Land handed over to CCW

History

• to provide a site that would sustain nationally important numbers of at least two species of waterfowl• be eligible for designation as a SPA alongside the Severn Estuary within five years • in the long term, attract internationally important numbers of certain bird species

Initial Objectives

• Dedicated classrooms

• Reception

• Meeting rooms

• Offices

• Volunteer facilities

• First point of contact with Centre staff• Availability of information about the reserve• Use of facilities by local community

• Visitors encouraged into

building and environs

• Outdoor classroom space

• Bug hunting

• Pond dipping

• Visitor facilities

• Ridge and Furrow area

• Hay meadow

• Wet grassland

• Reed bed

Funding

• Objective 2• Newport Local Regeneration Funding • WTB / Visit Wales • RSPB • CCW • Environment Agency Wales• Newport Landfill Tax