A new pond-dipping platform at Langdon

Our Langdon Nature Discovery Centre (NDC), opened in summer 2022 thanks to the financial support of Veolia Pitsea Marshes Maintenance Trust, welcomes around 80,000 visitors annually, including numerous primary, secondary and pre-school visits. Immediately adjacent, our old pond-dipping platform, dating to the 90s, with rotten and broken boards, has been condemned as unsafe and beyond repair. We intend to replace this platform with a new platform to the same design, providing the function needed and minimising disruption to wildlife in the pond, which includes Great Crested Newts. The replacement platform will help to unlock the full potential of the NDC by expanding the offer available to visitors and local schools. The platform will host over 40 supervised pond-dipping sessions annually for over 850 people, giving visitors an opportunity to experience memorable, meaningful engagements with a range of aquatic wildlife normally hidden from view. Sessions will be delivered by our expert Wilder Learning team.