Nick Herbert visits Arundel Wetland Centre

Arundel & South Downs MP Nick Herbert paid a visit to the Arundel Wetland Centre on Friday (4 June).

Mr Herbert was given an informal briefing on the work of the Centre, which received around 96,000 visitors last year, with Centre Manager Olivia Iles and Grounds Manager Paul Stevens.

The MP was then given a tour of the nature reserve to see how staff and volunteers are working to improve the habitats for birds and a range of animals including dormice, bats and water voles.

During the tour, Mr Herbert observed some of the conservation work being carried out by students from Brinsbury College near Pulborough.

The Arundel Centre was established in 1976 by Sir Peter Scott and is set in ancient woodlands in the heart of the South Downs, adjacent to the River Arun and overlooked by Arundel Castle.

The Centre, which is run by the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, attracts a wealth of birds and other wildlife to its lakes, reed beds and woodlands.

In April, the Arundel Centre hosted a special event to mark the completion of the Sir Peter Scott Centenary hide, a purpose-built structure designed to give visitors close access to a breeding sand martin colony.  The Centre hopes to increase the number of sand martins and halt the decline of these small birds.

Nick Herbert commented: "It was a really interesting visit on Friday and I'm grateful to Olivia and Paul for showing me around.  As a local MP and Arundel resident, I've visited the Wetlands on a few occasions before but it was great to have an official visit and I will certainly be returning.  It's a stunning location and what a marvellous resource it is for local people and for people from further afield too."

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Notes for Editors

1. For the website of the Arundel Wetland Centre, visit http://www.wwt.org.uk/visit-us/arundel.