As somebody who spends a rather outrageous amount of their time and money on flights, I’m certainly in no position to say anything negative about airports. But – let’s face it – they’re not exactly topping the list of places that are considered to be good for the planet, right? Well, it seems as though the UK’s largest airport is trying to change that narrative.
London’s Heathrow Airport is actually the proud owner of 13 biodiversity sites, stretching across 170 hectares of land surrounding the airport. Who’d have thought it? These nature reserves are usually completely private, but this summer, ecology-enthusiasts of the capital city can pay one of them a visit –without having to pay a penny.
The airport is welcoming visitors for free guided tours and birdwatching sessions following the unveiling of a new bird hide inside the airport’s Causeway Nature Reserve. Designed to resemble an air traffic control tower, the hide is very well-disguised, giving nature-lovers the chance to get up-close-and-personal with the wildlife found on-site.
The reserve is said to be home to 79 bird species, an array of rare spiders, hundreds of butterfly species, and Britain’s rarest tree, the Black Poplar. The bird hide (named the Nature Traffic Control Tower) has been installed in the hope of raising awareness of Heathrow Airport’s ‘Nature Positive Plan’. The plan details the airport’s goal of better-understanding and reducing the impact it has on nature and ecosystems. Heathrow Airport has invested £250 million into carbon and sustainability projects since 2022.
Becky Coffin, communities and sustainability director at Heathrow, said: “Our work to support nature happens all year round – from introducing cattle to graze habitats in spring, to discovering new-to-science fungi in our woodlands in autumn, and rotational hedgerow management in winter.
“Maintaining and restoring nature is a priority for Heathrow, and we hope this birdwatching experience helps bring our nature positive plan to life and shows travellers that Heathrow is committed to biodiversity, giving them greater confidence in their travel choices.”
You can book your free guided tour of Heathrow Airport’s Causeway Nature Reserve here.