Our Green Story Castle Espie Wetland Centre
Castle Espie is an international exemplar of habitat restoration, sustainable design and green tourism. One of ten safe, accessible wetland centres in the UK and the only one in Northern Ireland, Castle Espie is run by a conservation charity, WWT, founded by Sir Peter Scott and supported by Sir David Attenborough.
It’s a beautiful place to visit - a magical buggy and wheelchair friendly and mix of wide estuary views, tidal lagoon, with zones for children to look at, eel-grass mats, woodland walks, salt watch and learn about species and marshes and reed beds to get up close the importance of wetlands. The pond to nature and wildlife. Its 60 acres host zone, secret swamp, sensory garden, Ireland’s largest collection of native and play barn and climbing wall are all exotic water-birds and an abundance self-explanatory while the hides and of habitats for other wildlife – bats, Limekiln Observatory offer excellent kingfishers, linnet and other songbirds, views for bird watching. waterbirds and wildflowers. Species The centre’s buildings incorporate improvements include kingfisher banks, numerous eco-friendly features, tern islands, otter dens, bat boxes, including reclaimed and recycled dragonfly and damselfly pools, wader materials, biomass boiler, a wildlife scrapes and roosts. garden and energy systems fuelled Thousands of migrant birds, including by the sun and wind, rainwater a large proportion of the world’s harvesting that supplies all bathrooms, population of light-bellied brent geese, as well as a reed bed filtration system overwinter right in front of Castle Espie. for waste water. Its Gallery, Ireland’s only environmental Wetlands face huge challenges, but art-space, hosts many artists, sculptors, they’re also part of the solution to the craftspeople and photographers’ climate crisis; they contribute to natural work - experiencing nature through art. flood management and carbon capture A focus on seasonal events include and indeed there is current research into Northern Ireland Puddle Jumping the therapeutic benefits blue spaces Championships, Giant LEGO® Brick have on our health and wellbeing. Workshops, Animal Trail and Workshops Open to visit 7 days a week, 363 days a and an Easter Duck Quest for year from 10.00am, call 02891 874 146 youngsters. or view the website. The focus on children - and educational wwt.org.uk/castleespie visits - extends to the centre being
The Green Tourism programme was funded by the Council’s Recycling Community Investment Fund - a scheme which is powered by the recycling efforts of local residents and businesses. Thanks to an increased amount of recycling by the local community, almost £15M has been saved in landfill costs since the programme’s inception. These savings have allowed the Council to create the RCIF which supports new and existing environmentally friendly initiatives.