Surfbirds News

 
The new exhibits teach children about the importance of wetlands to people and wildlife, and have been made possible with support from Rediscover (a joint venture between the Millennium Commission, the Wellcome Trust and the Wolfson Foundation) and SITA Environmental Trust, which distributes funding through the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme.
 
Exhibits include ‘Where does all the water go?’ requiring children to pump water into a huge globe which then empties to show how much of the world’s water is in the seas, frozen in ice caps, or as freshwater for sustaining life.
 
In ‘Going with the flow’ children must decide where to build a village and manage the water in a valley with mountain, river, floodplain and reservoir. There is only a matter of minutes to decide before the rain pours down the mountain and the floodwaters begin to rise.
 
Mike O'Connor CBE, Director of the Millennium Commission said, "The Millennium Commission is proud to have supported the London Wetland Centre with a Lottery grant of just over £100,000. 
 
The Centre is a fine example of how the Lottery is making a real difference to people's lives.  It is a wonderful project that raises awareness about preserving our natural environment and particularly conserving wetlands and their biodiversity”.
                       
A grant of £100,000 was given by the Wellcome Trust and £65,000 from the SITA Environmental Trust.
 
John Leaver, Chairman of SITA Environmental Trust, said: “We are delighted to have awarded £65,000 to this project.  The London Wetland Centre brings incredible biodiversity to the capital and we hope this type of project will inspire people to conserve and recreate wetlands in the future.” 
 
London Wetland Centre Manager, Stephanie Fudge, said of the new exhibits: “Wetland Worlds, Wetland Secrets offers a great hands-on way for children to engage with wetlands, discovering the wildlife they support, how they function and their importance in protecting our homes from flooding – in a fun exhibit that has a fairground atmosphere. They can then step outside and see one of the best wetlands in the country and the amazing wildlife it supports, right here in our capital city!”