Heathrow opens bird watching tower
Heathrow recently inaugurated its Nature Traffic Control Tower, a birdwatching observatory inspired by the airport's iconic control tower, located in the heart of the Causeway Nature Reserve, one of the 13 biodiversity sites surrounding the airport.
The initiative is part of the new "Nature Positive" environmental plan, which aims to improve the understanding and protection of local biodiversity. The refuge is accessible free of charge by reservation, offering visitors the opportunity to explore 170 hectares of natural habitats, including lakes, reeds, meadows and woods dating back to the sixteenth century, populated by over 4,000 species, including 79 species of birds, rare bats, pollinating insects and native plants.
The opening of the tower comes at a time when global interest in birdwatching is growing (over 2 billion views of the hashtag on TikTok) and symbolises Heathrow's concrete commitment to the 'Connecting People and Planet' strategy, which includes an investment of £250 million over the period 2022–2026 for sustainability and decarbonisation projects.
In addition to the new tower, Heathrow will continue to expand its conservation sites, improvewater management, support forests and peatlands in the UK and reduce pollution. The airport's naturalistic sites have maintained the Wildlife Trusts' Biodiversity Benchmark for 17 consecutive years.
The Heathrow Nature Traffic Control Tower is open for free bookings through Eventbrite.
