Good English conservation news, with David Attenborough

This video from England says about itself:

The Feathered Marsh – Cley Marshes nature reserve, Norfolk

8 July 2011

The Feathered Marsh is a beautiful short timelapse film made by Elixir Media Productions with the support of Norfolk Wildife Trust. It was filmed entirely at Norfolk Wildlife Trust‘s Cley Marshes nature reserve, which this year celebrates its 85th anniversary, making it the oldest Wildlife Trust nature reserve.

From Wildlife Extra:

David Attenborough opens new stretch of Norfolk reserve and education centre at Cley

A new footpath across a recently connected 8km swathe of continuous Norfolk coast welcomed its first visitors last Friday, 12 June 2015.

President Emeritus of The Wildlife Trusts, Sir David Attenborough, and two young naturalists, Connor Lonergan and Sasha Carter-Lonergan took the first steps along the path as it officially opened to the public.

Norfolk Wildlife Trust (NWT) purchased the missing stretch of land in 8km of protected coastal sites in 2012, thanks to a £900,000 public appeal and a grant of over £1.5m from Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).

The land – 143 acres – sits between its nature reserve at Salthouse Marshes, and NWT’s flagship reserve, Cley Marshes. Cley Marshes is one of the world’s leading bird-watching destinations and is a historic jewel in The Wildlife Trusts’ crown – it was The Trusts’ first ever nature reserve when it was acquired in 1926.

Over the past three years the new land has been transformed from its former use as land for commercial shooting.

Now the once-degraded pools have been restored and reed beds created, which are already being used by breeding avocets. They are welcome habitat for many other rare species too, including marsh harriers, bitterns, bearded tits, otters and water voles.

At the same event there was the officlal opening of the Simon Aspinall Wildlife Education Centre at the Cley Marshes Nature Reserve, which has been built in order to engage more young people such as Connor and Sasha, who volunteer at the reserve.

Sir David was joined by BBC broadcaster and Ambassador of NWT, Ben Garrod, to open the brand new education centre officially. It will also serve to connect people to this fantastic wild landscape through a range of events from performance poetry to Tai Chi at sunrise.

These will go hand in hand with more traditional methods to engage people with wildlife – such as guided walks on the nature reserve and talks by respected naturalists.

Chief Executive of NWT, Brendan Joyce says: “Our new events programme is for those who know a lot, a little or nothing about wildlife. It’s for those who love art and music as much as those who enjoy wild spaces.

“The new education centre will help thousands of people from across the UK get closer to nature every year – both through wildlife events and also with highly creative activities.”

The Simon Aspinall Wildlife Education Centre has been built behind the Cley visitor centre. It was made possible thanks to an appeal to NWT’s membership, the public and support from the HLF. It was designed by LSI Architects and is named in memory of local naturalist, Simon Aspinall.

NWT Ambassador, Ben Garrod says: “I grew up watching Norfolk’s amazing wildlife: bearded tits in the reed beds, marine wildlife off our beautiful coastline… I can even remember the first time I saw a marsh harrier at Cley gliding through the vast skies.

“These are our wild places, our wildlife and this fantastic new centre will enable everyone to develop their own wild life, whether its art, music, workshops, film or crafts that floats their boat!”