Loch of the Lowes Visitor Centre and Wildlife Reserve, run by the Scottish Wildlife Trust, provides wildlife watching, environmental education and volunteering opportunities for adults, families and young people from across Perthshire and Central Scotland. The Foundation awarded Loch of the Lowes £963 towards the creation of a loch-side viewing screen on the reserve trail and for the purchase of new educational materials for the visitor centre.
The centre has a woodland viewing window, live wildlife cameras (including the famous osprey nest camera) and a purpose built children’s hide “Ducklings Den”, giving thousands of young people the chance to connect with nature, often for the first time. School and youth groups coming to the reserve are provided with self-guided trails, spotters’ guides and wildlife watch backpacks to maximise the educational value of their visit.
Loch of the Lowes increasingly offers volunteering opportunities to young people looking to gain work experience in wildlife conservation or who are participating in schemes such as the Duke of Edinburgh Award or John Muir Award. Volunteering provides them with a greater understanding of the natural world, a wide range of valuable life skills and improved self-confidence.
“Thanks to the loch-side viewing screen and new educational materials our visitors are ABLE to explore the whole reserve and learn more about wildlife” – Jonathan Pinnick, Loch of the Lowes Visitor Centre Assistant Manager
