Protecting Gower - Gower - page 302

TheformercoastguardlookoutbuildingoppositeWormsHeadwasonceaninformationcentreforthe
National Nature Reserve run by the Countryside Council for Wales, but it has recently been returned to
its owners, the National Trust, and will be restored to its original condition. A short distance to the east,
in Rhossili village, the Trust has a small shop and visitor centre in the coastguard cottages, which were
erected in the 1930s (Fig. 170).
TheBlackpillWildlifeCentre,situatedonSwanseaBay,wasopenedinJanuary2001byRobertHow-
ells of the Gower Ornithological Society. A partnership between the Society, the West Glamorgan RSPB
Members Group and the City and County of Swansea, the Centre's aim is to inform the public about
the Site of Special Scientific Interest at Blackpill. Alongside his pioneering work in the inlet and estuary
Howells has also identified and counted the visiting birds at Blackpill on a daily basis since 1958, long
beforeitwasrecognisedasanimportantsite.Inadditionhehasbeeninstrumentalinpersuadingthecoun-
cil to modify their beach-cleaning methods, so as not to damage the feeding area of the visiting waders.
The centre is available for any group to visit and is open to the public on winter weekends.
FIG 170. The National Trust visitor centre and shop in the old coastguard cottages at Rhossili. (Harold Grenfell)
Bishop'sWoodCountryside Centre islocated adjacent totheLocalNatureReserve ofthesamename,
inCaswellBay.ItismanagedbytheCityandCountyofSwansea'sDevelopmentDepartmenttoconserve
and encourage wildlife diversity and provide access and information to visitors and schools. Also based
at the reserve is the Caswell Wood Initiative, the aim of which is to encourage the conservation of wood-
lands,theirpropermanagementandtheuseoftimberfortraditionalandcontemporarycrafts.Thisproject
has used local timber to construct a wooden roundhouse, which is intended as a venue for training events,
promoting woodland crafts using local timber, and as an environmental educational base.