After a long time behind closed gates, the summer of 2026 marked the reopening of WWT Caerlaverock. It’s been a new beginning, with a new team coming together to care for the wonderful wetlands on our parcel of the Solway Firth.
And we’re very proud of what we’ve accomplished.
Meet the Team
We hit the ground running, preparing the reserve for visitors, with Rebecca and Izzy leading our warden team. They’ve meticulously trimmed, tidied, and tended the reserve, while also captaining the insect monitoring, with butterfly, dragonfly, and damselfly transects, as well as regular moth trapping. Their hard work keeps the reserve accessible and enjoyable, while creating optimal conditions that wildlife relies on to flourish.
Behind the scenes, Robbie and Dawn have kept the office running smoothly, facilitating recruitment, the Farmhouse renovation, and reorganising our Visitor Centre into a comfortable, relaxing environment for visitors and members alike. The management of all our reserve properties is a tough job, as they are spread over the 1400-acre site and each require their own complex administration.
Our Engagement Officer, Georgia, has channelled her creativity by revitalising social media and blog, helping people understand our place in the conservation sphere and showcasing WWT Caerlaverock as a pioneer of sustainable management and wildlife habitats. She has taken thousands of photographs to share our paradise with our followers, showing our followers that we’re more than just a bird reserve – there’s an incredible diversity of life here!
Emma, our project lead, has been establishing strong relationships across the Caerlaverock area, working with key stakeholders to improve wildlife connectivity along the coastline. Her work has helped identify invasive non-native species for future management, improve our understanding of local habitats, and develop plans for a network of wetlands, wildlife corridors and meadows to restore the area’s unique biodiversity.
An incredibly valuable part of our team is our determined host of volunteers. They have helped us run the reserve by welcoming visitors, maintaining species records, scything, gardening, tidying, and providing us with opportunities to learn about our community and share in the glories of our reserve. They are essential to the operation of the whole site, and we cannot thank them enough for their passion and commitment to supporting us here.
Of course, none of this would be possible without our trusty site manager, Dave. His constant support spans from major management oversight to species identification. Whether he’s helping make key organisational decisions or out in the reserve using his innovation and hands-on skills, Dave continues to prove his dedication and passion for our gorgeous wetlands and wildlife.
Looking Back on Summer
We’ve had a busy few months, including the Dragonfly Festival, with the gorgeous photography exhibition by Andrew Fuzek Peters. We’ve conducted sustainable meadow management, from seed harvesting to scything, and welcomed saltmarsh experts to educate us in all things uniquely saltmarsh. Let’s not forget the Farmhouse renovations, still ongoing, but step by step we are starting to see this gorgeous, historical building come back to life.
But how did the consecutive heatwaves affect us? Well, they drained many of our pools, that’s for sure. But they also encouraged several tropical visitors to enjoy our reserve, such as the glossy ibis pair who stayed with us for well over two months, and the more southerly red-veined darter dragonfly.
We’ve welcomed hundreds of visitors back to the reserve. We have missed the interested and insightful minds of our patrons and cannot thank you all enough for helping this place and this team feel valued, honoured, and supported.
I've collected a whole load of pictures showing the gorgeous colours of summer at WWT Caerlaverock - keep an eye out on our socials for upcoming posts for colour appreciations.
Looking Ahead to Winter
The rest of the year promises just as much excitement; the barnacle geese and whooper swans are going to grace our reserve once again, and the swan feeds will restart in the autumn. We’ll also share some bat-themed events and insights as the days grow darker. We are extremely excited for the wetter weather that is undoubtedly going to hit us again, and to see what wildlife will appear on our shores in the colder months.
Thank you so much for your continued support, we couldn’t do this with you.
By Georgia Pope, Engagement Officer
