Protecting Gower - Gower - page 301

Centre in the old school at Oxwich that was assisted in the early stages by the Naturalists' Trust, which
provided exhibits and some funds, but it was felt that a new and more prominent centre was required.
At this time, as described in Chapter 7, the Oxwich reserve was under heavy public pressure as it was
- and indeed still is - adjacent to a large privately run car park, with no dividing boundary between the
two areas. This meant that there was open access to the dune areas. Regular assessments of the number
of visitors to Oxwich consistently indicated levels in excess of 250,000 per year. In addition the dunes
were regularly used forponytrekking. Oxwich was also becoming increasingly popular as an educational
resource.Allthismeantthatthewardeningresources,bothpermanentandseasonallyrecruitedstaff,were
sometimes stretched to breaking point. The wardens did their best to 'educate' visitors about the sensible
use of the reserve and how they could assist in the management and conservation of the area, but this was
ahardjob,asitrequiredawholesalechangeintheattitudesofthemajorityofvisitorstowildlifeandland-
scape conservation. The main aim of the Oxwich Reserve Centre was therefore to explain the importance
of the area's wildlife to visitors, and it attempted to cater for a wide range of natural history knowledge.
The Centre operated successfully until the early 1990s, when the lease on the site expired and could not
be renewed.
FIG 169. The Oxwich Reserve Centre in the early 1970s. (Countryside Council for Wales)
VISITOR CENTRES
Following the demise of the Oxwich Centre, there were a number of feasibility studies for a Gower in-
terpretive centre located at the airport site on Fairwood Common, but although substantial grant aid was
available to build the centre the local authority, which coordinated the approach, was concerned about the
annual running costs, and nothing materialised. There are three smaller visitor centres, however, at Rhos-
sili, Blackpill and Bishop's Wood, that interpret specific areas of the peninsula, and in the absence of a
comprehensive facility these have an important role. In addition, in Parkmill there is a commercial visitor
facility, the Gower Heritage Centre, based around the working mill.