Seaton Wetlands welcomes new volunteers to enhance visitor experience

Volunteers are fantastic ambassadors for Seaton, ensuring everyone has a memorable visit

The East Devon District Council (EDDC) Countryside team is thrilled to announce the addition of 12 new volunteers to the Discovery Hut at Seaton Wetlands, following a successful recruitment drive.

This significant boost in volunteer capacity enhances the site’s ability to engage with the public and provide a fantastic visitor experience.

Seaton Wetlands, the flagship site of EDDC’s Countryside team, attracts over 10,000 visitors each year. The Discovery Hut, which is operated by a team of dedicated and knowledgeable volunteers, is where visitors can learn about recent wildlife sightings, enjoy refreshments, and hire pond-dipping equipment (during the spring/ summer). The Discovery Hut is open Friday to Monday, from 10am to 4pm during the summer and 11am to 3pm in the winter.

With the additional volunteers, the Countryside team will be able to open the hut daily during school holidays, and will keep the hut open from 10am to 4pm Friday to Monday and 10am to 1pm Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday until November 4th when opening times reduce to 11am to 3pm and 11am to 1pm respectively.

Councillor Geoff Jung, EDDC’s portfolio holder for coast, country, and environment, said: “Volunteers play a vital role in enhancing the visitor experience at Seaton Wetlands. We’re thrilled with the public’s response to our recruitment drive for the Discovery Hut and are excited to offer consistency throughout the year. This ensures that more people can explore and learn about the incredible wildlife that makes this site so special.”

James Chubb, countryside team manager, added: “2024 is shaping up to be a record year for Seaton Wetlands, both in terms of visitor numbers and wildlife sightings. Already this year, we’ve been treated to visiting avocets, sand martins, and at the end of the summer, ospreys were seen over the Axe estuary.

“Our volunteers are fantastic ambassadors for the site, sharing their enthusiasm and knowledge with visitors to ensure everyone has a memorable experience. We’re thrilled with the response to our call for volunteers and look forward to welcoming even more visitors to the Discovery Hut in the coming months.”

With a diverse array of birds at Seaton Wetlands, the Countryside team are seeking volunteers to run ‘Guide in the Hide’ sessions. Volunteer guides will be based in the Island Hide from 10am to 12noon, to help visitors to get the most from their bird watching. The ‘Guide in the Hide’ sessions will take place every other Mondays, starting on October 14. Those interested in finding out more about the role are invited to email the team: wild@eastdevon.gov.uk to find out more.

For more information on planning your visit to Seaton Wetlands or to explore other nature reserves managed by the Countryside team, visit wildeastdevon.co.uk.