Global Birdfair announced for July

Rising like a phoenix from the ashes, a major new birding event has been announced in Rutland for summer 2022.

Global Birdfair will take place at the Rutland Showground in Oakham over the weekend of 15-17 July.

Announcing the event on Twitter, founder Tim Appleton said in a video: "It's going to be an incredible weekend with so much happening. New sponsors, old sponsors, new exhibitors and events.

"Please join on that weekend and let's celebrate conservation once again as we go global once again with Global Birdfair."

Global Birdfair has been announced as taking place in Rutland, England, in mid-July 2022.

There had been widespread outrage at Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust's decision to cancel Birdfair, the long-running event that had raised more than £5 million for overseas projects conservation projects run by Birdlife International.

The Trust had cited four key factors as reasons behind the decision, namely financial risk, business risk, the climate crisis and the longer-term impact on the reserve.

The carbon footprint of Birdfair had come under considerable scrutiny in recent years as awareness grows about the worsening global climate crisis.

Acknowledging these concerns, Global Birdfair said on its website: "We are working closely with a carbon offsetting organisation to provide a platform for Global Birdfair to make significant contributions to their scheme. We aim to make Global Birdfair as carbon neutral as possible. Their system contributes to projects in the UK and overseas."

Tickets will go on sale from Monday 14 February 2022. Further details on the event, other than the date, are currently scant, although further announcements will presumably follow at the event's website, globalbirdfair.org.