For the Love of Conservation
Our family day at WWT Slimbridge (Gloucestershire, UK)
Over the winter break from school, my family traveled to England and France. Since the pandemic, I am trying to be more intentional about when and if I travel. However, we wanted to show our daughters historic landmarks in London and Paris, experience new foods and the Chunnel, and possibly see some old friends if schedules aligned.
I also wanted to see swans. Bewick’s swans to be specific. (A type of Tundra swan that nests in the Russian Arctic tundra and overwinters in the UK.)
A little back story…
In October 2022, I went to the International Swan Symposium which was being held that year in Jackson, WY. The Trumpeter and Tundra swans that return to the Skagit Valley, where I live, are a wonder to me. I have grown increasingly more interested in swan biology and ecology over the years, which is why I wanted to attend this event. I am also working on an environmental memoir that draws parallels between migratory swans, habitat conservation, and my experience of early motherhood.
As I was sleepily drinking my coffee on the first morning of the symposium, I found myself chatting with a nice couple sitting next to me. It turns out I was talking with Dr. Eileen Rees, the woman who literally wrote the book on Bewick’s Swans. Later in the conference, I went to a talk and documentary screening by Dr. Julia Newth, Principal Research Officer at WWT Slimbridge, where the Bewick’s swans overwinter.
I learned that the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT), founded by Sir Peter Scott, operates nine wetland centers in the UK. WWT Slimbridge, located in Gloucestershire, hosts both research and education and offers interactive exhibits as well as numerous areas for bird watching. Going beyond an environmental education center, I appreciated that WWT Slimbridge was a celebration of all things wetland, an ecosystem that is often under-appreciated.
“Wetlands are actually unsung heroes.”
Annie Proulx, from Fen, Bog and Swamp
Fast forward to December 2023…
My family arrived in Slimbridge on a Friday night and stayed at a local inn (actually the only inn) near the wetland preserve. The innkeepers were very welcoming and we enjoyed a hearty meal and an even heartier breakfast at the pub adjacent to the inn. I knew I wanted to check out the center on Saturday and do the wildlife walking tour we had booked for the afternoon, however I wasn’t sure how long my children would last. They are 6 and 8, mildly interested in birds, and moderately tolerant of the cold and wet.
Well, to give you the short version—we spent the WHOLE day at WWT Slimbridge, from opening to closing. The staff on-site were engaging and knowledgeable and there was a lot to see and do, including Toad Hall, the art room, and various speakers and presentations throughout the day. Also, the delicious cafeteria was a nice surprise. My youngest daughter, Eloise, believes that was the best hot chocolate she’s ever had!
Highlights from the day included feeding resident Mute swans, doing swan research, watching the otters eat and play, visiting the flamingo houses, seeing axolotls for the first time, the hot chocolate (worth mentioning again),and birding along the estuary. And of course, seeing Bewick’s swans and the evening swan feeding!
The girls and my husband opted for the playground and art room, versus the private wildlife walking tour. Martin, a naturalists and reserve manager, led the tour and it was an excellent opportunity to see the Bewick’s swans up close through his spotting scope and learn about the wide diversity of wildfowl in the area.
Bewick’s swans return to WWT Slimbridge every year, and are rarely sighted anywhere else in the UK. The staff and scientists here are well-versed in the families of Bewick’s swans that arrive in the fall—their bill patterns (Bewick’s swans have more yellow in their bill than our Tundra swans), offspring, history, and behavior.
The care that underscores the conservation and education efforts at WWT Slimbridge is notable. WWT offers memberships to all of their wetland centers and during the day we met families, like us, visiting for the day as well as many regulars with memberships. It was fun to see all the people that congregated together in the heated hide for the afternoon swan feeding!
Seeds of care, for birds and for beauty, need to be planted early. This visit refueled my love of conservation and environmental education and engaged my children in a conversation about wetlands and stewardship that is important and ongoing. They are still asking questions and making comparisons between our valley and the European landscapes we encountered. As important as it was to see Big Ben and the Eiffel Tower, the Mona Lisa and Buckingham Palace, visiting WWT Slimbridge was particularly illuminating for all of us and we look forward to visiting again in the future.
This was fabulous to read! I am massively inspired to visit one day.