In 2025, Daws Hall Nature Reserve is celebrating its 40th anniversary. Since it opened in 1985, the environmental education centre at Daws Hall in Lamarsh, on the Essex / Suffolk border has delivered field science sessions to over 110,000 children.
This is a big milestone for the charity, which continues to operate thanks to individual donors and the support of grant giving organisations.
Anniversary celebrations included hosting a party for our supporters and volunteers. Some of the guests including founder trustee Robert Erith and British Trust for Ornithology bird ringer Peter Dwyer, have supported the project since the beginning, and were at the opening day forty years ago.
Teacher Simon Perry worked at Daws Hall for 27 of its 40 years and travelled up from Cornwall for the special day. The Lord Lieutenant for Essex, Jennifer Tolhurst is Daws Hall Trust’s patron and gave a speech on the day, praising the charity’s efforts in environmental education and emphasizing the importance of such sites in the modern world.
The nature reserve is compact at 25 acres, but hosts a wide range of habitats including access to the river, stream, ponds, wildflower meadows and woodland. Its small size and diverse habitats make it excellent for visiting classes.
Schools visit from across Essex and Suffolk. Despite global signs that wildlife is in decline, Daws Hall is a success story of regeneration. The created habitats on site have now begun to mature and in the last few years significant discoveries such as the appearance of Water Voles and Hazel Dormice have shown the value of the work.
The 40th anniversary is paired with another milestone, the plans to build a new, eco friendly education centre on site. Daws Hall Nature Reserve achieved planning consent and is now embarking on the campaign to raise the necessary funds. The building is designed to be low impact and will have a panoramic view of the large established wildflower meadow.
The site is primarily used for educational purposes and not publicly accessible, but a small number of open days and events are held for the public throughout the year, these are always on our website dawshallnature.co.uk/events
The original classroom was opened on the 30th of October 1985 and two of the Sunday open days sit either side of this date this autumn. The site will be open to the public for just two Sundays on the 26th October and 2nd November between 10am and 3pm.
There will be hot drinks, cake and activities for children, as well as the chance to explore the stunning nature reserve and neighbouring gardens of Daws Hall house and its collection of exotic trees in their best fiery autumn colours. Entry is by donation and all proceeds support the running of the education centre. Parking and loo facilities on site, sorry no dogs allowed on site.