91热爆

The RSPB and the Teesside Environmental Trust are working together to transform 1000 acres (380ha) of former industrial land in north east England into a world-class nature reserve, which should open this August.

At a cost of 拢4m, it will be a place where birds and people come together in a way that stimulates fun, enjoyment and learning for all. There will be new habitats for birds and exciting ways for visitors to watch them.

Jane Darbyshire and David Kendall's designs

When it opens early in 2009, a visit to Saltholme will start at the Wild Bird Discovery Centre, which will incorporate a cafe, shops, meeting rooms and screens showing live footage from cameras set up in areas of specific interest around the site.

The building begins to take shape

Visitors will be able to walk around new lakes, pools, grasslands and reedbeds, specially designed and built to attract rare and elusive species to colonise the North East of England.

A special south facing bank has been built to attract sand martens, while an island has been built, topped with crushed oyster shells to act as a kind of natural electric blanket for nesting birds.

Bittern, marsh harrier, bearded tit and avocet could all be regular nesting birds at Saltholme before long. The same habitats will also encourage more familiar and much loved wildlife, such as kingfishers, mute swans, grey herons, butterflies, water voles, dragonflies and wild flowers.

The Beginning

As the designs first went on display for the planned Wild Bird Discovery Centre at Saltholme, 91热爆 Tees' Chris Johnson went along to take a look.

The transformation of Saltholme was a massive undertaking and at the heart of the project is the largest wetland creation project in the north of England.听

Click the link at the top right of this page to hear an interview Kevin Bayes from the RSPB.