A new all-weather, fully accessible boardwalk has been unveiled at a popular nature reserve near Lowestoft.
The new boardwalk at Share Marsh on the Carlton Marshes nature reserve near Lowestoft was officially opened on July 28.
The boardwalk provides a pathway for visitors to enjoy Carlton Marshes without damaging the natural habitat surrounding it.
It was officially opened by Suffolk Secrets, part of the Original Cottages family, with charity partner the Suffolk Wildlife Trust (SWT).
It comes after Suffolk Secrets had committed two years of funding to help support the county’s wildlife charity, SWT.
With the much-needed funds being used to build the boardwalk and support a variety of other conservation projects across SWT’s 52 reserves, it ensures wildlife and nature reserves are protected and can be enjoyed and experienced by the community and holidaymakers.
As part of the Original Cottages family, who operate a wide range of holiday homes across England and Wales, Suffolk Secrets is operated by locals, who live and breathe their local communities.
The cottage letting company’s donations also support additional initiatives, including production of the ‘What’s On’ guide and bat detectors.
These bat detectors convert ultrasound signals emitted by bats, to audible frequencies and further support the Trust’s vital work to conserve Suffolk’s bat population.
Florence Smith, brand manager for Suffolk, Original Cottages said: “We are a proud supporter of the Suffolk Wildlife Trust and the fantastic work they do in helping the wildlife and national parks in our community to thrive.
"We were delighted to be part of the official opening of the Carlton Marshes boardwalk, and hope all visitors enjoy escaping into the beautiful nature of Suffolk.”
Michael Strand, community fundraising manager for Suffolk Wildlife Trust said: “We are so excited to be partnering with Suffolk Secrets, part of the Original Cottages family.
"We have completed the process of building a brand-new visitor centre at Carlton Marshes with fully accessible paths, so we’re looking forward to welcoming many more people to this outstanding Southern Broads reserve.
"We’ve also been converting former arable fields to create a stunning new 1,000-acre wetland to support the county’s precious wildlife and it is already transforming into a stand-out nature reserve.
"Some of the funds from the Suffolk Secrets partnership has helped turn our vision into reality.”
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