13 August 2007
I CAN CANOE - CAN YOU?
Interested in hopping in a canoe and experiencing a wild wetland experience? Look no further than the WWT National Wetland Centre Wales. The centre has opened its new Canoe Safari feature with a splash - literally. Thanks to a generous grant from the Countryside Council for Wales and the help of other funders, the new Canoe Safari opened this morning with great excitement, and plenty of first-time canoeists taking the plunge in paddling a canoe.
The centre has acquired 14 Canadian canoes, which can accommodate up to three people each. This is a perfect opportunity to bring along the family and explore the wetlands in a whole new way. Visitors are already excited about the new activity, with plenty of first day buzz surrounding the launch. Family visitors, Ceri, Debbie and son Adam Jones were the first ones to head out on the canoes. "I would definitely recommend it to others, and we saw plenty of wildlife - a Marsh Harrier, several warblers and mallards too," said Ceri Jones.
"The canoes are a brilliant new way to explore the wetlands," said Nigel Williams, Centre Manager. "It's great way to turn more people onto wildlife and the environment, a great place to look out for geese, swans, and migratory birds, and if you are lucky you may even spot one of our Water Voles."
These shy creatures live in the canals, and the canoes slip through the water so quickly and quietly that they are not disturbed from their natural activities. Floating feeding stations are located near the vegetation edges. Keep your ears open for the characteristic "plop" of a Water Vole diving into the water. The National Wetland Centre Wales in Llanelli has been designated a key site for Water Voles in the UK - one of only two sites in Wales - and now has a thriving population. Elsewhere in the UK, the Water Vole has the fastest declining population of mammal species.
Sumitra De-Kayne has been brining her son, Rishi, to the Centre for years and was one of the first to try the new canoes. "It was absolutely fantastic! And it's an activity that is great to attract teens, like Rishi, who are looking to do something different, yet still explore the natural wetlands."
The Canoe Safari will be seasonally open from April to September, and will be open every day during the holidays. Visitors will be able to hop in a canoe during opening times from 11.00 am to 4.00 pm. In non-holiday times the safari will be open only on weekends. The Canoe Safari is FREE with admission into the Centre.
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For more information contact Marketing Manager, Stasa Veroukis, on 01554 741087 or email info.llanelli@wwt.org.uk.
Notes to Editors:
1. The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) is a leading UK conservation organisation saving wetlands for wildlife and people across the world. With over 60 years experience of wetland conservation, WWT is committed to the protection of wetlands and all that depend on them for survival.
2. WWT operates nine specialist wetland visitor centres in the UK that are visited by some 1 million people every year from around the world. The centres provide a place to walk, relax, learn, and get closer to nature. Over 60,000 children benefit every year from educational visits to a WWT centre.
3. In total over 5,000 acres are managed by WWT, including 7 sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), 1 Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI), 6 Special Protection Areas (SPAs), Part of 1 Marine Nature Reserve and 6 Ramsar sites, supporting over 200,000 waterbirds.
4. WWT members enjoy free access to all nine visitor centres and are kept up to date with developments through a quarterly magazine.