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Cotswold Lakes Trust aims to engage increasingly with visitors, the local community, schools and universities to promote a greater understanding and appreciation of the heritage, wildlife and landscape of the Cotswold Lakes.
Our work aims to raise awareness and education amongst a variety of audiences, the public, members, students from primary to universities and professionals. This will encompass, among other things, migratory birdlife, rich fossil finds in the sedimentary sand and gravel, precious wildflower meadows, the area’s biodiversity as well as the health and well-being to be found in the outdoors.
School Visits
Our Nature Engagement Officer has visited a number of primary schools in the area, spending time with children outdoors and teaching them about the wildlife that lives in the Cotswold Lakes. Children learn about insects, plants and animals in fun and engaging ways, through a variety of hands-on activities. We get them to try their hand at I.D. work, using microscopes and working together in teams. Our school visits help young people connect with nature, embrace spending time outside and help them feel connected to the Cotswold Lakes and the work the Trust does for wildlife and habitat there.
If you would like your school (either primary or secondary) to be involved, please contact Rachel.barnett@cotswoldlakestrust.org
Guided Walks
Taking visitors and members on guided walks around our sites is an important way of engaging people with the work the trust does in the area to create and maintain habitat for wildlife, and help to keep it accessible and appealing to visitors.
Some popular walks we have carried out include our accessible winter birdwatching event, our Ranger guided walk, where we see the different things our small but mighty ranger team do to maintain the area, and general birding and insect walks in the summer with our Nature Reserves Officer and Biodiversity Field Officer.
Events and the Beaver Bus
Connecting with local people and visitors to the Cotswold Lakes is an important part of our education programme. We enjoy having conversations about the work of the Trust, the history of the area and why the lakes are so important for wildlife such as insects and birds.
We host activities for children and take our Beaver Bus to sites such as Cotswold Country Park and Beach, Cleveland Lakes and to the Visitor Centre during most of the school holidays. Keep an eye on our social media channels for the latest events, trails and activities we will be hosting across the area.