As part of the Bear Wood project, the Wild Place Project team built a new classroom space, immersing children in nature while they learn about the importance and fundamentals of conservation. The idea of the scheme – which is part of Bristol Zoological Society’s Wild Place Project – is to give visitors a glimpse into life in the woods and forests that used to cover much of the UK. The future is a wild place when you are brave enough to stick it out. On Friday, Jack visited the Wild Place Project to discuss their plans for a new exhibit, Bear Wood, which will open in summer 2019. The three male bears are to be castrated and the five wolves are all males so there will be no breeding and so no young to fight over. With over fifty acres of animal exhibits, meadowland, gardens and woodland, the Wild Place Project aims to ensure a sustainable future through the means of conservation and education. Visitors to Bear Wood can journey back in time and discover the history of British ancient woodland in the UK’s largest, most ambitious brown bear exhibit. Another clambers up a towering ash and seems to take in the view down to the River Severn and and across towards the Forest of Dean. Contractors and the in-house team worked flexibly to rapidly resolve issues, including challenging site topography, preventing impact on the existing woodland, and harsh weather conditions. Winding along a 700m raised timber walkway through the trees, visitors learn about the species once native to our woodlands, those living here now, and what is at stake for the future of British wildlife. Despite adversity, the project was a complete success, delivered from concept to construction in just two years, and launching in July 2019. During the summer of 2019, wellbeing sessions were delivered to groups including LGBTQ+ teenagers with mental health charity Off the Record, and family groups from deprived areas and ethnic minorities. Lynx vanished after the wolverine as woodland was chopped down, and next it was the turn of the bear to disappear. The exhibit is aimed to transform you back in time to when the Woodlands were inhabited by European brown bears, European wolves, Eurasian lynx and wolverine. This project shows Wild Place's continued commitment to developing our areas leisure offering, as well as to their conservation work.". “We’ll be able to see how they change the flora and fauna,” said Schwitzer. Required fields are marked *. We are a growing project and with big plans for the future. A fascinating visit Flogas in Avonmouth this morning to learn more about their exciting plans for the future. Bear Wood also provides a new opportunity for wellbeing programmes which positively impact a diverse range of people within the local community. The wolverine is a member of the mustelid family that includes badgers, weasels and otters. Local TV. When a bear nicknamed Bruno wandered into German in 2006 he lasted only seven weeks before being shot by hunters. The Wild Place Project and Bear Wood specifically are a fantastic example of how people and nature can thrive together, so long as we prioritise conservation. This past year has marked the opening of Bear Wood – their biggest exhibit yet – along with a whole host of exciting births and new arrivals. It is not clear whether the bears will dig themselves into a den and hibernate. Your email address will not be published. Copyright 2020 Jack Lopresti MP Member of Parliament for Filton & Bradley Stoke. But bears and wolves in England? Project to recreate ancient habitat prepares for delicate process of reuniting species, Last modified on Mon 22 Jul 2019 10.58 BST. They are in separate enclosures so will not come face to face with the larger animals, though they will smell and hear them. Owned by the Bristol Zoological Society, the Wild Place Project is a wildlife conservation centre and family attraction based in Bristol. On Friday, Jack visited the Wild Place Project to discuss their plans for a new exhibit, Bear Wood, which will open in summer 2019. The zoo said they had welcomed a quarter of a million people since the summer when the first lockdown began to be eased and the zoo reopened in early July, with the Wild Place Project's …