A Natural England partnership project to restore wildlife habitats on Portland Dorset has, with Heritage Lottery support, installed two high-tech surveillance cameras to spy on the private lives of rare seabirds nesting on the rocky cliffs of Dorset’s most famous island. The cameras will provide live colour footage to screens in the Tourist Information Centre (TIC) in the Portland Bill Lighthouse.
Doug Hollings, Environment Brief Holder for the Weymouth & Portland Borough Council, project partners and owners of the TIC said,
“We are delighted that again through partnership working we have been able to add interest to what is on offer to visitors and local people at the Portland Bill Visitor centre. Being able to view the cliff nesting birds from live cameras is a fantastic addition to the existing displays at the Centre”.
From this Easter people visiting the famous lighthouse will now be able watch close-up views of the seabirds, such as guillemots, razorbills and kittiwakes on live screens. Images of birds sitting on eggs, carrying in food for their young and jostling for space will be on view leading up to and throughout the breeding season; (From December to July).
John Stobart Natural England Conservation Advisor for Portland said,
“Portland’s seabird colony is located on a stretch of cliff below a fenced compound which is not accessible to the public. The cameras will give visitors an opportunity to see at first hand the activities on one of the south coast’s largest seabird colonies. The cameras will also provide a valuable means of monitoring numbers and breeding success of this important colony”.
This project would not have been possible without a £25,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund part of the £49,700 award for the Portland Marine Week
Notes to Editors:
- The press are invited to the official opening of the camera display at the Portland Bill Lighthouse Tourist Information Centre at 2pm on 18th March 2008. If you would like to attend please contact Lyn Cooch , Portland Ranger on 01305 826100.
- The Seabird camera project has been developed by the Portland Coast and Countryside Project, a partnership of Natural England, Weymouth and Portland Borough Council, Dorset Wildlife Trust and Dorset Countryside which aims to promote conservation, awareness and enjoyment of Portland’s wildlife for local people and visitors. For more information on this initiative please contact Lyn Cooch, Portland Ranger on 01305 826100.
- The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) enables communities to celebrate, look after and learn more about our diverse heritage. From our great museums and historic buildings to local parks and beauty spots or recording and celebrating traditions, customs and history, HLF grants open up our nation’s heritage for everyone to enjoy. Since 1994, the HLF has awarded over £4 billion to more than 26,000 projects across the UK. This includes over £411 million to more than 2,600 projects across the South West. For more information, please visit www.hlf.org.uk.
- QinetiQ provided additional and practical support to the project and permission was given by The Crown Estate and the Ministry of Defence. The cameras and display unit were installed by Wildlife Windows and the fibre optic cable by Fibreoptions.
- Due to its location jutting out into the English Channel, Portland is a unique place for watching birds. A short walk from the TIC you can enjoy watching seabirds flying past, fishing or loafing on the water. For more information on Portland’s birds contact the Portland Bird Observatory, www.portlandbirdobs.org.uk.
- Natural England works for people, places and nature to conserve and enhance biodiversity, landscapes and wildlife in rural, urban, coastal and marine areas. We conserve and enhance the natural environment for its intrinsic value, the wellbeing and enjoyment of people, and the economic prosperity it brings.