MOTHER’S DAY is the perfect time to show your mum how much she means to you, and what better way to do that than to give her a uniquely wild gift and help your local Wildlife Trust at the same time!
The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales have picked their top five wild gifts that any mum would love.
First up on the top five is a Wildlife Trust membership.
A spokesperson said: “ Your mum would be helping to protect local wildlife by enabling us to install nest boxes, manage local woodlands, survey red squirrels in mid Wales and carry out dolphin research, along with a mountain of other important conservation tasks. “
This is a gift that will keep on giving all year around for as little as a cup of coffee per month (or a one off payment if you prefer). By giving your mum a Wildlife Trust membership for mother’s day she could be giving a gift to wildlife throughout 2017 and even into 2018.
Second on the list of unique gifts for mother’s day are o the wildlife adoptions. The Trust have several wildlife species that are available for adoption including a badger, a puffin, a seal, a red squirrel and a hedgehog.
“Adopting one of these will help with various conservation tasks such as our work on Skomer and Skokholm Islands ensuring that the seal pup population is healthy, monitoring the red squirrels in mid Wales, promoting a Tuberculosis vaccine as a viable alternative to culling and campaigning for better legislation to protect and improve wildlife habitats throughout south and west Wales,” the Herald was told.
Your mum (if this is her first adoption) will receive an introductory letter, a personalised adoption certificate, a fact sheet and soft toy of her/your chosen wildlife species. Each year that she continues to adopt wildlife your mum will receive a report on how the species are doing in Wales (usually sent out in autumn). Adoptions are £25.
If your mum is a wildlife, nature and/ or outdoor enthusiast, the Trust have got just the place! Skomer Island is a haven for people who want to get up close and personal to Britain’s beautiful nature and take in some fresh air.
Voted Britain’s Favourite Nature Reserve of 2016 in the Landlove magazine awards , the island is home to an array of breath-taking seabirds.
The island opens in April and even though overnight stays are mostly fully booked now throughout May, June and July, you can still visit the island on a day trip to behold this natural phenomenon. You can then spend the day wondering the island and witnessing the thousands of seabirds in their colonies such as puffins, Manx shearwaters, guillemots and razorbills, spot tons of rabbits as well as marine wildlife from the cliffs.
If you were thinking more along the lines of an Island stay as a mother’s day gift don’t forget about Skomer’s sister Island; Skokholm. The beautiful mile long island is draped with red sandstone cliffs and offers a quieter experience with only approximately 17 people staying on the island at any one time.
In spring and summer , it is colonised by tens of thousands of nesting seabirds returning to their island home. By day there is frenetic activity among the puffins, razorbills, guillemots and gulls and by night there is a more vocal but equally hectic commotion from the Manx shearwaters and storm petrels. There are also often some fascinating migrants to look out for that are passing through.
And finally a stay in Oak Tree Cottage is sure to warm your mum’s heart this mother’s day! Off the beaten track, nestled in the heart of the beautiful Welsh Wildlife Centre & Teifi Marshes Nature Reserve, Pembrokeshire, you will find the newly refurbished Oak Tree Cottage or the ‘Cwtch’ as the Trust like to call it!
A brand new self-catering holiday let that’s perfect for those wanting to relax in comfort whilst surrounded by our amazing Welsh wildlife. Children will love playing in the Cherry Tree Adventure Park, discovering the Willow Maze, exploring our fantastic Nature Trails on foot or two wheels, and meeting our resident Water Buffalo. Adults can immediately unwind to the sounds of nature and enjoy the peace and tranquillity of this truly unique setting.
To arrange any of the above just give The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales a ring on 01656 724100 or e-mail them – [email protected]
Add Comment