London Wetland Centre

                                                    The unique London Wetland Centre, home to over 200 species of birds and beautiful wetland life was a habitat under threat in 2005. 

The award-winning centre is the first of its kind in the world with more than 40 hectares of created wetlands in the heart of a capital city, but a proposal to develop a sports-stadium nearby, installing flood-lights, threatened to destroy the dark corridor and green belt attracting the animals.

Jean visited the site in August 2005 and called for action to preserve more of London’s green habitats and asked planners to stop the development going ahead to protect the future of the site and the animals migrating there. 

Local Councillors said they would start discussions with Richmond and Twickenham Athletics Club to St Mary’s College, which, if feasible, would remove any future need for flood-lighting near the wetland centre.

“The way land is used has the single largest impact on the environment and on the quality of our lives.  It would be impossible for Londoners to have a decent quality of life if the environment was poorly maintained.  By restoring habitats, such as the Barnes Wetland Centre, we are taking direct action for threatened wildlife and birds as well as improving the environment we live in.”

Jean Lambert, Green MEP

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