Families explored wetland wildlife through a vibrant host of performances, activities and family fun at the WWT London Wetland Centre’s Dragonfly Festival.
The festival ran from 18 July to 31 August, combining wildlife encounters with creative sessions designed to introduce children to the natural world.
Emily Wiltshire, Visitor Engagement Manager at WWT London, said: “The whole point is to bring fun into the education of how great these animals are.
“More than ever, it is so important that young children are getting that early relationship with nature and caring more.”
This summer’s programme took place during a summer of drought spanning half of the UK, record-breaking heatwaves and wildfires.
On 1 September, WWT London launched a new campaign renewing calls to protect wetlands. It cited the established figure that more than 75% of the UK’s wetlands have been lost over the past 300 years.
The charity warned that prolonged summer droughts are drying out marshes and pools, while intense winter flooding can overwhelm delicate ecosystems.
WWT also reports that 40% of the world’s species rely on wetlands in some way, while 83% of freshwater species are declining worldwide.
Reserve Manager Adam Salmon said introducing younger visitors to wetlands could encourage them to help secure these habitats in the future.
Watch the full report below to see how wildlife, play and technology are bringing families closer to wetlands.
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