The Trust's Montrose Basin Visitor Centre is receiving a revamp at the start of 2017.
Thanks to support from National Lottery players through the Heritage Lottery Fund the displays in the Visitor Centre will be given a fresh new look, and screens showing footage of local wildlife will be installed.
The centre will close for around six weeks from New Year’s Day to allow the improvements to take place.
Caroline Hendry, Visitor Centre Manager, said: “We first opened in 1995 and the last refurbishment was nearly ten years ago, so it’s a good time to refresh our displays and make the most of new technology that has developed since then. We’re delighted to have received support from the Heritage Lottery Fund as well as from our members in Angus and Dundee to make this happen.
“I’m positive people will love the changes we’re planning to make. When we re-open in February visitors will be able to discover much more about the amazing variety of wildlife that lives on the basin.”
The Trust is working with CMC Associates to complete the improvements. The company's director Mike Spearman said: “This is a great opportunity to update not just the displays but also the video and web technology in the visitor centre. Together these new facilities are going to help visitors to understand and experience the range of activity that takes place on Montrose Basin.”
Lucy Casot, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund said: “Our natural heritage is a most precious resource and, thanks to National Lottery players, HLF grants have helped to protect and interpret an amazing range of landscapes, habitats, and species of plants and animals. HLF is delighted to support the ‘Enhancing the Visitor Journey at Montrose Basin’ project which will stimulate people’s interest in the natural world and so help them conserve it for future generations.”
Montrose Basin is a haven for wildlife, best known for attracting tens of thousands of wintering pink-footed geese each year. The reserve is also home to harbour seals and a wide range of birdlife.
The four star Visitor Centre attracts 12,000 visitors a year including school groups. It is open Friday to Monday from 10:30 am – 4 pm until the end of December, with the exception of Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
The improvement project has received a £37,800 award from the Heritage Lottery Fund. It has also been supported by the Crown Estate, and the Trust’s North Angus and Dundee & Angus local groups.