Popular birdfair grounded
PANDEMIC, CASH AND ENVIRONMENT CONCERNS SEE RUTLAND EVENT’S WINGS CLIPPED
A POPULAR bird-watching event has been permanently cancelled because of financial problems caused by the coronavirus crisis and environmental concerns, organisers have confirmed.
Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust (LRWT) said it had made the “difficult decision” to stop running the annual Birdfair.
The event has been running for 30 years, attracting thousands of visitors to Rutland Water Nature Reserve every August and raising more than £5 million for international projects.
But the coronavirus pandemic has caused major financial issues for the trust, it has confirmed.
Jamie Perry, head of engagement for the trust, said: “Like many other similar institutions, we have seen income streams lost or reduced, with a resultant impact on our financial reserves and thus the delivery of our charitable work.
“Birdfair operations have contributed to these financial concerns.
“We must now turn all of our attention and efforts to our core mission of saving, restoring and connecting people with wildlife and habitats across Leicestershire and Rutland with the aim of aiding nature’s recovery.”
The Birdfair was first held in 1989, but was cancelled for the past two years because of the pandemic, with a virtual event held in 2020.
Mr Perry said providing staff and volunteers and shouldering costs for the event was a “significant burden” for the charity.
The trust also said the climate crisis played a part in its decision to cancel the event for good.
“The current format of Birdfair is heavily influenced by travel and tourism with exhibitors travelling from 80 different countries to attend,” Mr Perry said.
“The carbon footprint generated both by the event itself and the activities it promotes does not now fit well with our own strategy towards tackling the climate crisis.
“The event would need considerable redesign to resolve this.”
Moreover, he said the long-term impact on the event grounds itself also contributed to the decision.
Mr Perry said: “The event has grown considerably over the years and we are concerned about the impact that the event might be having on Rutland Water Nature Reserve itself in terms of soil compaction in the site area.” Chairman of the trust, Anthony Biddle, said reaching the decision had been difficult but added that a significant donation would be made to Birdlife International to support its conservation efforts. “We have thought long and hard about all these concerns, and the decision has been an extremely difficult and sad one for all our staff and trustees. “But we knew that it was now time to make the future clear, in the interests of the event, and of everyone who is involved in it or supports it. “Although we are bringing our involvement with Birdfair to a close, we are pleased to be able to announce a donation of £15,005 to Birdlife International. This is made up of donations and auction proceeds in aid of their Helmeted Hornbill conservation project supported by our Virtual Birdfair in 2020. We hope the legacy of Birdfair may live on in similar events, run by organisations with greater resources than our own.”
The carbon footprint generated does not fit well with our strategy towards tackling the climate crisis Jamie Perry