RSPB Seeks New Caretaker for Flatford Wildlife Garden in Suffolk

As of October 2025, the RSPB is reviewing the future of Flatford Wildlife Garden, a nature reserve in Suffolk. The charity is facing financial pressures and has decided to either sell the site or lease the land to a third party.

The RSPB spokesperson has stated that a tendering process for the Suffolk facility is anticipated to start in late 2025. The outcomes of this process will determine the operation of Flatford Wildlife Garden in 2026 and beyond. In the meantime, the reserve will continue to operate as normal, with the charity's winter season events expected to go ahead as they have in recent years.

Flatford Wildlife Garden has been a popular destination for nature lovers since its opening in 2011. The site boasts an abundance of wildlife and birds, as well as a trail with carved wooden garden creatures and a living willow tunnel. However, over the past 12 months, the RSPB has reviewed the site, considering factors such as its retail and cafe offerings, as well as the overall experience it provides to visitors.

If the RSPB is successful in selling the site or finding a third party to take it over, it is understood that the reserve could close altogether, resulting in job losses. Nigel Roberts, the vice-chairman of East Bergholt Parish Council, hopes that if the site is taken over, nature and wildlife will continue to be at its core, as the RSPB has done well with the facilities to date.