Opinion-formers and leading experts meet today (Tuesday 9 June) to send a clear message to the Government – ahead of the announcement of finalised shortlisted projects to harness tidal power and energy from the Severn estuary. This decision – and the approach – may have profound consequences for the natural environment of this unique place.

The message is clear – harnessing tidal energy from the Severn should start with the aim of minimising damage to this special place, not seek simply to justify the massive impact of yesterday’s designs.

The meeting takes places at the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust at Slimbridge where the landscapes and abundant wildlife of the Severn estuary inspired Sir Peter Scott. The invited audience will hear a keynote speech by Natural England, followed by talks ranging from the role of the estuary in adapting to climate change, to the importance of the mud, to the unique value of its fisheries and its rich archaeological heritage.

WWT chief executive, Martin Spray, said: “Following Peter Scott’s example we’re using this special place to inspire these influential people to make the right decisions for the future of the Severn. We’re all aware of the difficult choices ahead of us. Now is the time to quantify the value of the Severn, think clever and keep the Severn working as a fully functioning ecosystem.”

Dumfriesshire’s first ever osprey chick in living memory hatched at WWT Caerlaverock on Sunday morning ending more than a month of excited anticipation by staff and visitors.

After 40 days of incubation, enduring scorching sun, gusting winds and torrential rain, the proud first-time parents welcomed their first born chick into the world, all captured on the CCTV cameras that beam images direct from the osprey nest into the visitor centre at WWT Caerlaverock. The osprey pair laid the three eggs at roughly two day intervals starting in late April, and it is hoped the other two eggs will also hatch successfully in the coming days.

Now the male bird has extra fishing duties to perform to keep the female and his new offspring supplied. Caerlaverock’s Learning Manager, Brian Morrell , was over the moon and said: ‘We have been waiting for this to happen for the last few years and at last they have done us proud. We hope to see the drama unfold from our observatory on the shore as the male bird catches fish in the Solway and carries them back to the nest where we can see the female feed her hungry chicks on the CCTV monitor at the centre.’

In partnership with WWT, The Forestry Commission Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage, CCTV cameras beam live images from the osprey nest straight through to the fair-trade coffee shop in Caerlaverock’s visitor centre.