Visitor Centre - Wexford Wildfowl Reserve

Visitor Centre, Wexford Wildfowl Reserve

Photograph of the Entrance to the Visitor Centre of the Wexford Wildfowl Reserve.

Visitor Centre, Wexford Wildfowl Reserve

Visitor Centre, Wexford Wildfowl Reserve

Photograph of the Entrance to the Visitor Centre of the Wexford Wildfowl Reserve.

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During 2002/3 a new larger, more visitor friendly, Centre with much improved displays, were added to Wexford Wildfowl Reserve. This new facility was officially opened by Mr. Martin Cullen T.D. Minister for Environment Heritage and Local Government on 12th September 2003.

The reserve was acquired primarily for the purpose of feeding and protecting the Greenland White-fronted Geese during the winter months and to provide increased awareness of this species by creating public facilities for their observation.

The management of good grassland for the feeding of the geese is essential and early shooting rye grasses are grown for this purpose. Fertiliser is also used to force an early flush of grass for geese that need to be in good condition when they leave the slobs at the end of April to return, via Iceland, to Greenland to breed. Fodder beat is also grown on the reserve to supplement the diet of the geese during the shorter days of winter.

Studying Fauna at the Wexford Wildfowl Reserve

Photograph of a group of people looking at a plant on the grounds of the Wexford Wildfowl Reserve.

Studying Fauna at the Wexford Wildfowl Reserve

Studying Fauna at the Wexford Wildfowl Reserve

Photograph of a group of people looking at a plant on the grounds of the Wexford Wildfowl Reserve.

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Currently the reserve is visited by over 32,000 visitors annually and is delighted to cater for groups as well as individuals. Staff are always willing to help, and recently a variety of in house classes relating to natural history subjects have been on offer to both children and adults.

During the year a variety of Art Exhibitions take place in the Pumphouse.

In addition to the new Visitor Centre there are excellent facilities to view birds from the Observation Tower and other well equipped Bird Hides.

Prime time to visit the reserve is from October when birds are arriving from the north, right through to the middle of April when birds are leaving to return to breeding grounds.

The Reserve was declared a Nature Reserve under the 1976 Wildlife Act on 3rd June 1981 (SI No 205 of 1981). Other more recent Statutory protections include the area being a 'Special Protection Area (SPA), a 'National Heritage Area' (NHA), a 'Ramsar Site' and a 'Statutory Hare Reserve'. This last protection; The Hare Reserve includes the entire North Slob and the Raven Wood Nature Reserve.

Facilities include new, disabled friendly, Visitor Centre, and a number of Bird Hides.

Opening Times: 0900 hrs - 1700 hrs daily. Entry is FREE. Guided tours are available on request. Groups must book in advance.

Wexford Wildfowl Reserve, North Slob, Wexford.

"The call of wild geese is synonymous with the Wexford Slobs. May it always remain that way and may we never become too complacent with the factors around us that could, so easily, affect this situation." ©