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Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust

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The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) is an international wildfowl and wetland conservation charity in the United Kingdom.

Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust
Formation1946 (1946)
TypeConservation charity
HeadquartersWWT Slimbridge, Gloucestershire
Founder
Sir Peter Scott
Key people
  • Sarah Fowler (Chief Executive)
  • Kevin Peberdy (Deputy Chief Executive)
RevenueIncrease £27 million GBP (2022)
Staff420 (in 2023)
Volunteers881 (in 2023)
Websitewww.wwt.org.uk
Looking across to the main buildings and Sloane Observation Tower of the trust's headquarters at Slimbridge, Gloucestershire
Statue of Sir Peter Scott at WWT London Wetland Centre
Sheltered Lagoon at the London Wetland Centre

History

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The trust was founded in 1946 by the ornithologist and artist Sir Peter Scott as the Severn Wildfowl Trust.

The first site at Slimbridge was a centre for research and conservation. In a move unusual at the time, he opened the site to the public so that everyone could enjoy access to nature.[1][2]

This organisation later developed into the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, the only United Kingdom charity dedicated solely to promoting the protection of wetland birds and their habitats. [3] Although starting out at Slimbridge, the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust now owns or manages nine other reserves in Britain,[4] and advocates for wetlands and conservation issues world-wide. WWT Consulting was an offshoot of the Wildlife & Wetland Trust and was based at Slimbridge. It provided ecological surveys and assessments, and offered consultancy services in wetland habitat design, wetland management, biological waste-water treatment systems and the management of reserves and their visitor centres.[5] The Queen in later years became patron to the trust, and Prince Charles became the president.[6]

The trust was instrumental in saving the nēnē (Hawaiian goose) from the brink of extinction in the 1950s.[7]

Nature reserves

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The trust has over 200,000 members and ten reserves with visitor centres. Together these cover over 20 km2 (7.7 sq mi), and support over 150,000 birds. They receive over one million visitors per year. The reserves include seven SSSIs (site of Special Scientific Interest), five SPAs (Special Protection Areas) and five Ramsar sites.

Conservation achievements

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In 1962 the first Nene geese, a species that at that time was threatened with extinction, were returned to Hawaii after a 25-year effort by the Trust, with the species later being downgraded from endangered to threatened on the IUCN Red List.[8]

In 2009 the trust was instrumental in saving the Madagascan Pochard from the brink of extinction in Madagascar.[9]  In 2006 a total 20 birds were discovered with the species previously thought to have been extinct. WWT and the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology hatched several clutches of eggs in captivity, and released the 21 birds onto Lake Sofia in 2018.

Together with partners and funders, RSPB, Pensthorpe Conservation Trust,[10] and Viridor Credits, the trust reintroduced Common Cranes to the UK in 2010.[11] The Great Crane Project successfully hand-reared and released 21 Eurasian cranes into the wild in England. The species had been absent in the UK for 400 years. As of 2022 there are over 200 cranes and hatchlings.[12]

WWT's aviculturists’ started hand-rearing critically endangered spoon-billed sandpiper chicks, and reared 16 in northern Russia in 2013, which boosted the global number of fledglings by 25%.[13]

In 2014 the trust completed its Steart Marshes Project, creating 488 hectares of healthy wetlands[14] which works to defend homes and businesses from flooding in a way that works with nature, not against it.

Lead shot ammunition used for wildfowl shooting was banned in European wetlands in 2020 following WWT’s scientific research and a campaign by WWT and partners.[15] The new law came into full effect on 15 February 2023.

Consultancy

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At one time, the trust operated a consultancy business that provides external clients with a comprehensive range of wetland services. These included ecological survey and assessment, habitat design and management, visitor centre planning and design, and wetland treatment systems.[16]

Organisation

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The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust is a registered charity in England[17] and Scotland.[18] Sarah Fowler became the chief executive of the trust in March 2022.[19] Her predecessor was Martin Spray, who was appointed in March 2004.[20] In December 2012, Spray was appointed CBE.[21][22]

President

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  • Kate Humble is a writer and broadcaster known for presenting a number of popular television shows which focus on wildlife and rural Britain.[citation needed]

Vice Presidents

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Ambassadors

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  • Ollie Olanipekun and Nadeem Perera, the founders of Flock Together,[23] who were appointed as WWT’s first Ambassadors in 2022. Flock together is a birdwatching collective which recognises that nature is a universal resource and is dedicated to ensuring people of colour feel welcome in it.[citation needed]
  • Sir Mark Rylance, an Academy Award winning actor, playwright, theatre director and environmentalist.[citation needed]
  • Lucy Hodson aka ‘Lucy Lapwing’, a wildlife presenter and campaigner working to make the countryside safer for female naturalists and birders.[citation needed]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "History of WWT". Wildfowl & Wetland Trust. Archived from the original on 7 September 2016. Retrieved 20 August 2016.
  2. ^ "WWW Slimbridge Wetland Centre". Cotswolds.info. Archived from the original on 5 August 2016. Retrieved 20 August 2016.
  3. ^ Bell, Catharine E. (2001). Encyclopedia of the World's Zoos. Taylor & Francis. p. 1331. ISBN 978-1-57958-174-9. Archived from the original on 18 August 2020. Retrieved 9 October 2016.
  4. ^ "Our nature reserves: Slimbridge". WWT. Archived from the original on 21 August 2016. Retrieved 21 August 2016.
  5. ^ "WWT Consulting". Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (Consulting) Ltd. Archived from the original on 31 August 2016. Retrieved 20 August 2016.
  6. ^ "Royal support for drains that "work with nature"". Latest from WWT. WWT. 19 May 2015. Archived from the original on 21 September 2016. Retrieved 20 August 2016.
  7. ^ Black, Jeffrey M.; Duvall, Fern; Hoshide, Howard; Medeiros, John; Hodges, Cathleen Natividad; Santos, Nelson; Telfer, Tom (1991). "The current status of the Hawaiian Goose Branta sandvicensis and its recovery programme". Wildfowl. 42 (42): 149–154. Archived from the original on 16 April 2018. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  8. ^ "How Sir Peter Scott saved the nene goose, using conservation techniques we still use today". WWT. 8 September 2021. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  9. ^ "Saving the Madagascar pochard". WWT. 19 September 2023. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  10. ^ "Pensthorpe Conservation Trust". Pensthorpe.com.
  11. ^ "Reintroducing common cranes". WWT. 19 September 2023. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  12. ^ "UK's tallest bird flourishes for another year". The RSPB. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  13. ^ "Spoon-billed sandpipers". WWT. 19 September 2023. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  14. ^ "Creating Steart Marshes". WWT. 19 September 2023. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  15. ^ "Protecting the world's wetlands – milestone lead shot ban comes into force". WWT. 14 February 2023. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  16. ^ "WWT Consulting". Archived from the original on 31 August 2016. Retrieved 18 November 2009.
  17. ^ "Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, registered charity no. 1030884". Charity Commission for England and Wales.
  18. ^ "Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, Registered Charity no. SC039410". Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator.
  19. ^ "WWT appoints Sarah Fowler as new chief executive". WWT. 6 December 2021. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  20. ^ "Management board". wwt.org.uk. Archived from the original on 24 December 2019. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  21. ^ Avery, Mark (30 December 2012). "Congratulations to Martin Spray". Archived from the original on 11 December 2013. Retrieved 30 December 2012.
  22. ^ "No. 60367". The London Gazette (Supplement). 29 December 2012. p. 9.
  23. ^ "Flock Together". Flocktogether.world.
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