WWT Welney Wetland Centre

Work Areas

Main CEPA work areas

Self-led school visits of all ages are welcomed with the provision of materials for their use i.e., identification sheets, pond-dipping, bug-hunting and bird watching. We also welcome life-long learning at Welney with workshops, trails, interpretation and warden talks. During the winter months there is a commentary upto 3 times per day during our wild winter swan feeds.

Top three successes

Wild winter swan feeds – a commentary provided for up to 120 members of public and groups, including schools, followed by a swan feed and question and answer session.

Canoe Safaris – led by a professional canoeist and Welney warden on some of the outer reaches of the Reserve with identification and commentary.

Workshops including – photography, willow weaving, digiscoping, painting plus seasonal arts and crafts activities on weekends and school holidays.

Top three challenges

1. Marketing Welney centre in such a way that people know they can visit in all weathers, all year round and not just when the migratory swans are here.

2. Continuing to provide both knowledge and skills for staff and volunteers to work with the public.

3. Ensuring that any interpretation and information is available to all of our visitors no matter what their age, ability or interest is.

Other information

The site holds internationally important wintering populations of Bewick’s swan, whooper swan, wigeon, gadwall, teal, pintail and shoveler. It is nationally important for a further six species of wintering waterfowl. Black-tailed godwit, breed along with significant numbers of lapwing, snipe, redshank, and yellow wagtail.

Most of the Washes are semi-natural and have not been improved. There is a long tradition of summer cattle grazing, with hay cutting, which continues and provides swards for grazing wintering wildfowl, and breeding waders.