Pensthorpe Conservation Trust opens first conservation centre dedicated to species reintroduction

The Pensthorpe Conservation Trust (PCT) chaired by Professor David Bellamy and based at Pensthorpe Nature Reserve, near Fakenham in North Norfolk, opens the doors of its new Conservation Centre for the first time on Saturday 12th May.

The Conservation Centre is the first of its kind in the United Kingdom, focused specifically on giving the public access to conservation programmes based on the re-establishment of native species, such as the European Crane and the Corncrake. The Conservation Centre includes a new purpose built ‘Cranery’, housing the largest collection of Cranes in the country, including eight of the world’s fifteen species. Cranes are amongst the most magnificent of bird species, standing anything up to 2 metres tall with a wingspan of up to 2.5 metres.

Last year the Great Crane Project was launched at the BirdFair by the Pensthorpe Conservation Trust, the RSPB, the WWT and Jordans Cereals, who are working collaboratively to re-establish Britain’s only native crane species, the European or Common Crane. The Pensthorpe Conservation Centre will, for the first time, allow the public access to some of the facilities that are directly involved in raising birds for release as part of this programme.

David Bellamy OBE said ‘Cranes are referred to in so many place names in the UK, from the Norse Tranmere to the Anglo-Saxon Cranbrook. The Pensthorpe Conservation Trust is delighted to be playing a key role in putting this iconic bird back into the British countryside’. The Conservation Centre has been developed over the last two years and has received over £500,000 from both the public and private sector. Key sponsors include breakfast cereal manufacturer Jordans, the EU, Natural England and the Dulverton Trust.

The Conservation Centre includes state of the art incubation, rearing and isolation rooms, the Cranery, and Corncrake breeding pens, as well as a flock of Greater Flamingos, on breeding loan from the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust’s flagship conservation centre at Slimbridge.

Miranda Stevenson, Director of the British and Irish Zoos and Aquaria has previewed the Centre and the work that has been carried out on the site went on to say ‘The Pensthorpe Conservation Centre carries out vital work in the conservation of wetlands and the species that inhabit them. This remarkable new development focuses on cranes and flamingos. Many species of crane depend on wetlands for their survival and people can now view six species (including European cranes)in naturalistic enclosures planted with native wildflowers. Behind the scenes there is a breeding and incubation centre for cranes, corncrakes and other threatened species. BIAZA is delighted to congratulate Pensthorpe on this important initiative and looks forward to watching the development of this exciting initiative.’