top of page

RSPB Burton Mere Wetlands receives yet more backlash amid mismanagement claims

C4PMC


The RSPB’s Burton Mere Wetlands site, in Cheshire, attracted attention online when they announced that, due to “a period of ongoing short staffing”, their visitor centre and café would be adjusting their opening times “until further notice”.  This comes in the wake of notices from the RSPB that they will be implementing a “comprehensive review of our operations” due to a lack of income. Suggestions include closing retail facilities and visitor centres, and reducing their educational offerings.  The RSPB are struggling, and the comments on the post from the Burton Mere site demonstrate the backlash the charity are facing.

 

A multi million pound so called charitable organisation that can't afford to pay staff but can afford to waste other peoples money and government grants supposedly to protect wild birds which they have failed to do also… Time the Fat cats of the RSPB were investigated”, wrote one.

 

“It seems people are now waking up to the reality of RSPB management… let’s not forget that this is the one of the wealthiest charities in the country,” wrote another.

 

Another, who seems to know the reserve well, is saddened at the RSPB’s management and behaviour.

 

So much time, effort and resources were put into creating what was a great place to visit. It developed so much over the years, due mainly to some great staff and generous, enthusiastic volunteers. To see what has happened recently is really upsetting. I'm afraid I do not understand or support why this has been done. Good pals of mine have lost careers, the good will of volunteers has been taken advantage of and exhausted. RSPB management has misjudged this and made a big mistake here. The work of years dismantled in days. Unforgivable.

 

But from the sound of things, this could be a sign of what’s to come in the future from the RSPB.

 

This also isn’t the first time that the Burton Mere reserve has attracted attention. In May 2024 almost an entire colony of avocets were wiped out following predation from badgers. Despite the site investing in new electric fencing, badgers got into the “electric predator exclusion fence”, resulting in almost complete abandonment of ‘gull island’ by the birds, with the ones that did remain being adults feeding alone, having had their nests or young chicks predated.

 

This wasn’t the first time that predation had impacted on the birdlife in the reserve.

 

“For the third consecutive year, Burton Mere Wetlands’ waders have suffered considerable impact from the plucky and persistent Badgers”, ran the RSPB blog. “We entered this spring with high hopes that the new electric fence would help steer the reserve back to its best for breeding waders, with peaks of over 200 pairs achieved a few years ago.

 

Is this where the funding to run the visitor centre and café have gone; on electric fencing to ‘deter’ predators? It’s a poor decision if so, as the technology is widely know to have had limited success at doing the job – as the RSPB must have known if they had done adequate research.

 

But then again there’s little to surprise us here; just another example of RSPB mismanagement.

 

In line with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) we would like to remind you that  if you sign up we hold your contact information on our secure database. We keep this so that we can update you on our progress and inform you of any events or publications that may be of interest. 

If you would like us to remove your contact details from our database please email contact@c4pmc.co.uk

bottom of page