Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust marks 20 years since Sir David Attenborough opened the iconic Attenborough Nature Centre.
During the opening ceremony, Sir David shared a story about how he first discovered his family roots in the village of Attenborough.
While Sir David’s Leicester roots are well-known, his family history in the Nottinghamshire village of Attenborough – from which both the renowned naturalist and the Attenborough Nature Reserve take their names – is less widely recognised.
During the official opening of the Nature Centre on 18th March 2005, Sir David, President Emeritus of The Wildlife Trusts, recounted how, as a young boy on an unsupervised train trip to Nottingham, he stood to attention when the train guard called out “Attenborough.” Initially thinking his name was being called, he soon realised it referred to Attenborough Station. This sparked his curiosity, leading him to investigate his family’s roots in Attenborough and Long Eaton.
Sir David’s visit to open the Nature Centre was his second official visit to the site, having previously opened Attenborough Nature Reserve in 1966. His connection with the cherished reserve and Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, which created the reserve, continued over the years. He made special recordings for an audio trail, describing the site as a “lifeline to the natural world,” and supported the charity’s efforts to safeguard its long-term future. The Trust purchased the reserve in 2020 after six decades of stewardship.
The opening of the Nature Centre in 2005 marked a milestone in the reserve’s history, fulfilling a near 20-year campaign to create a space that would bring people closer to nature. Since then, the centre has become a hugely popular destination, offering visitors the chance to connect with friends in a natural setting, learn about the site’s wildlife, and support the Trust’s work across the reserve and wider county.
Despite challenges such as pandemic lockdowns, the cost-of-living crisis, and a serious outbreak of bird flu, Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust has made significant investments in the reserve since purchasing it in December 2020. This progress has been made possible thanks to the backing of Sir David, Trust members, and the public.
Key improvements include the creation of new reedbeds to benefit species such as sand martins and otters, the installation of tern platforms for nesting common terns, and the enhancement of grasslands through conservation grazing and improved management. Corbett’s Meadow, created in memory of inspirational volunteer Keith Corbett, has also been enhanced to support butterflies and other beneficial insects. Additionally, invasive species like water fern, Japanese knotweed, and Himalayan balsam have been targeted, with 2.4 hectares of balsam cleared last year alone.
The Trust has also invested in improving access and facilities for visitors. This includes maintaining 9km of paths, installing new signage, launching a Wilder Welcome programme, and upgrading the Nature Centre with an optics demonstration area and improved event facilities.
Over the past 18 months, the Trust has conducted its largest-ever listening exercise to understand the needs and expectations of visitors as it plans for future investment.
Speaking about the anniversary, Chief Executive Paul Wilkinson said:
“Having spent almost two decades working to create Attenborough Nature Centre, we’re delighted to mark its 20th anniversary. Attenborough Nature Reserve is a special place for wildlife and people, and the Nature Centre has enabled huge numbers of people to connect with nature since it opened. Our vision for the reserve builds on the site’s value to nature and the special place it holds in the hearts of so many. As well as having more diverse and abundant wildlife, we’re determined that Attenborough continues to be a place where generations connect with nature and where nature supports people’s wellbeing.”
The Trust’s vision for the site includes ambitions for the reserve to not only connect people with nature but also to serve as a springboard for research into environmental issues and inspire local action for the environment.
Paul added:
“For decades, countless people have invested their time and energy to make Attenborough Nature Reserve the unique and special place it is today. Going forward, we also want Attenborough to be the place that inspires people to do more for nature – not just here, but in their communities.”
Over the next 12 months, the Trust will host a series of events and activities to celebrate the Centre’s anniversary, leading up to the 60th anniversary of Attenborough Nature Reserve next year. The Nature Centre will kick off the celebrations with a three-day Wild Easter Weekend from Saturday, 19th April, to Monday, 21st April.
