The plans for a new wildlife centre in Wales have been accepted in Montgomeryshire, with the hopes of attracting up to 60,000 visitors a year.
The Dyfi Wildlife Centre will be based at Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust’s Cors Dyfi Reserve near Machynlleth, home of the Dyfi Osprey Project and 360 Observatory.
The new development, which will be part-funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and located in the UNESCO Dyfi Biosphere area, will be a wildlife and environment-based visitor centre development.
A centre will pull together all the amenities of the current Dyfi Osprey Project under one roof, offering a more immersive experience for visitors.
Showcasing the reserve's biodiversity, including the Dyfi ospreys, the centre will communicate the cultural, industrial and natural heritage of the River Dyfi.
Work is expected to start on the centre in autumn 2019 with a forecasted opening of spring 2020.
Emyr Evans, Dyfi projects manager for Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust, said: “This project allows us to build a great new visitor centre in Mid Wales that will give adults and children alike an amazing experience of the ospreys, wildlife and the rich heritage of the River Dyfi.”
The Dyfi Wildlife Centre will complement the 360 Observatory which was built on the reserve in 2014, also part-funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Evans claims that the new centre will also enable the trust to open for eight months per year rather than five, as well as host special events during winter months.
Where to stay
The Dyfi Wildlife Centre project is based next door to Morben Isaf Holiday Park at Derwenlas, alongside the A487 from Machynlleth to Aberystwyth. Owned by Salop Leisure, the park has 92 pitches for holiday homes and 26 for tourers.
For more information, visit www.dyfiospreyproject.com.
