|
 The
Eden Project - So What Is It?
There
can't be many people in the UK who haven't heard of the
Eden Project but what is it and what are the ideas behind
it?
When Tim Smit first conceived
the idea for the Eden
Project, he could have had no idea how spectacularly
successful it would prove to be. Since it opened in March
2001, it has attracted more than 5 million visitors and
now employs several hundred full time staff, much needed
jobs in an area of high unemployment.
| If
you are visiting the Eden Project, there are plenty
of other places in the area to visit while you're there.
Get
more information. |
Why, one might wonder, would
anybody build gigantic Biomes in a disused quarry? The answer
is simple: the founders of the Eden Project did not want
their huge greenhouses to dominate the landscape so what
better place could there be to build them than in a quarry?
This is part of the ethos
behind the project. The main idea behind Eden is to show
man's dependence on and relationship with plants. Another
of the aims is to be 'waste neutral', that is it aims to
buy a greater weight of recycled products than the weight
of waste it sends for recycling—an example that we
should all follow if we want to reduce our dependence on
landfill sites that spoil the countryside and degrade the
environment or incinerators that pollute the air and contribute
to global warming.
Inside the Biomes, made up
of hexagonal 'bubbles', climates are reproduced. The largest
Biome has a tropical climate where high humidity is maintained
by automatic misting and the temperature is kept between
18 deg C and 35 deg C. Even so, this is done by using the
energy of the sun, not by using scarce, non-renewable resources
like oil and coal. The cliff behind the Biome soaks up the
sun and releases the warmth during the night. Additionally,
the Biome's triple glazing prevents heat loss.
Inside the tropical Biome,
visitors can see bananas, coffee, balsa, spices and mahogany
amongst many others. All are described and their history
and relationship to man are detailed. Not only are there
tropical plants but pests are controlled by tropical predators
too. These include tiny birds called Sulaway White Eyes,
tree frogs, bullfrogs, geckos, praying mantid and insects.
The second Biome has a warm
temperate climate but the challenge there is to mix plants
from different hemispheres. They say that plants from the
southern hemisphere insist on flowering in autumn instead
of spring because they are suffering from jetlag. Here visitors
can see olive trees, orange and lemon trees, and vines amongst
the many plants growing in this Biome.
Outside is the 30 acre 'roofless
Biome' where plants grow that can survive in our own climate.
These include lavender, hops, hemp and sunflowers. Spring
is a popular time to visit when a quarter of million daffodil
and tulip bulbs bloom.
The natural environment is
not neglected either. On the edges there is a conservation
project called Wild Cornwall where the lowland heath, now
a rare and endangered habitat, is conserved and protected
in partnership with Plantlife and English Nature.
Information
for Visitors
Opening times:
Summer - 31st March to 3rd November: 9am-6pm (last entry
5pm), Biomes open at 10am.
Winter: 3rd November to 31st March: 10am-4.30pm (last entry
3pm), Biomes open at 10am. Closed Christmas Eve and Christmas
Day.
Most visitors spend at least
four hours in Eden and there are snack bars, cafés
and a restaurant on the site with much of the food served
coming from Cornwall—what else would you expect from
such an environmentally aware organisation? Amongst its
many awards, Eden won the 'Best Loo in Britain' for 2003
so those facilities are excellent too.
The Biomes are easily accessible
to anybody with a disability and are wheelchair friendly.
They also have more than 40 wheelchairs available on loan
and free of charge for visitors who need them but they are
on a first come, first served basis so get there early.
There are late night openings
and special events scheduled during the year which can be
seen on the Eden Project
website. Admission prices can also be found there, as
can information on becoming a 'Friend' of the Project.
Page
1 > The Eden Project - History and
Facts
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