Education centre green light at Hatfield Moors nature reserve

Schools are set to be given the chance to get closer  to nature with a new learning centre at a high profile Doncaster nature reserve.
An artist's impression of the front view of the Humberhead & Peatlands NNR Resource & Education Centre , at Hatfield.An artist's impression of the front view of the Humberhead & Peatlands NNR Resource & Education Centre , at Hatfield.
An artist's impression of the front view of the Humberhead & Peatlands NNR Resource & Education Centre , at Hatfield.

Officials at Natural England hope to build a resource and education centre on land off Bawtry Road, Lindholme, on what is part of Hatfield Moors.

It will be called Humberhead and Peatlands National Nature Reserve Resource and Education Centre.

An artist's impression of the east side of the Humberhead & Peatlands NNR Resource & Education Centre , at Hatfield Moors.An artist's impression of the east side of the Humberhead & Peatlands NNR Resource & Education Centre , at Hatfield Moors.
An artist's impression of the east side of the Humberhead & Peatlands NNR Resource & Education Centre , at Hatfield Moors.
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A spokesman for Natural England said: "The new centre will help the team there to better deliver educational and environmental interpretation commitments.

"There will be proper toilet, including disabled, and classroom facilities with heating and lighting. We’ll improve the educational experience of their current school-group visitors by providing simple 'laboratory' and visual aid facilities to consolidate their outdoor learning experience, for example microscope viewing of what they have found."

There are plans that the centre will also be available to hire for community events.

The Humberhead Peatlands National Nature Reserve is described as the largest lowland raised bog wilderness in Britain. The Hatfield Moors site is home to a number of important species such as the Nightjar birds, reptiles, and a variety of plant life.

An artist's impression of the east side of the Humberhead & Peatlands NNR Resource & Education Centre , at Hatfield Moors.An artist's impression of the east side of the Humberhead & Peatlands NNR Resource & Education Centre , at Hatfield Moors.
An artist's impression of the east side of the Humberhead & Peatlands NNR Resource & Education Centre , at Hatfield Moors.
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English Nature says site is internationally important for rare species and habitats as well as hugely significant in terms of its educational and amenity value for Doncaster and the wider area.

High end research is being conducted on the site by a number of British Universities, mainly looking at habitat and species population dynamics, management issues, carbon storage and climate change.

The whole site has been designated by Natural England as Open Access land for the public to enjoy.

The organisation also runs a number of education and community based environmental interpretation initiatives, and hosts site visits from schools and charities.

The new building will also be used by its own staff and researchers for their work.