Located on the lake shore, just north of Lonton village, the Indawgyi Wetland Education Centre has become one of the main attractions of Indawgyi Lake. It offers a beautiful and highly informative exhibition about Indawgyi’s nature and wildlife, as well as insights into the local culture and history. Its veranda opens up to the lake and swamp forests, offering a stunning view and an easy glimpse of Indawgyi’s water birds. Here you can also book your ecotourism adventures or just seek information for your very own discoveries. A range of locally produced handicrafts and organic food products are available at the centre’s shop or you can just relax on the veranda with cup of organic coffee and local snacks.
Wetland Education Centre
Wetland Education Centre
Objectives
The Indawgyi Wetland Education Centre aims to provide a regular environmental education programme to encourage local communities, school and university students, and domestic and international visitors in activities to safeguard the environment. Various interactive education packages have been developed for a wide range of topics and target groups. The centre is collaborating with schools, universities, educational organisations, and international partners, such as environmental education centres in German biosphere reserves to deliver a high quality environmental education programme.
The premises are designed as a best practice example in order to raise the awareness for sustainable buildings. The architectural design aims to reduce the dependency on electricity due to a natural cooling system. The centre’s sanitation system is also an example for a lake-wide sanitation project specifically designed for critical wetlands.
Exhibition
The centre features a permanent exhibition with a chronological narrative about the conservation of Indawgyi Lake from the first approaches back in the colonial times to date. The exhibition spreads over 150 m2 and focuses on photographs and short movies to give all visitors visible access to Indawgyi’s diverse ecosystems and cultures. The outstanding beauty and importance of the diverse landscapes, the increasing threats, and sustainable development solutions to conserve Indawgyi’s ecosystems are highlighted. Threatened and charismatic species such as the Eastern hoolock Gibbon and the Sarus crane are documented to give you an inside into the species’ ecology. An interactive bird panel allows you to learn about the wing shapes and songs of Indawgyi‘s water birds as preparation for your nature adventures. After a tour through the exhibition, you can enjoy an organic coffee on the spacious veranda with the sound of nature in your ears.
Visitor Centre & Cafe
The community organisation and ecotourism group Inn Chit Thu operates from the Indawgyi Wetland Education Centre and will provide you with a free map and their expertise about the region to tailor for you an individual, memorable stay in Indawgyi Lake. All activities from boat trips to self-guided kayak and bicycle tours as well as guided trekking and bird watching experiences can be arranged. The centre’s own boat jetty is also the most convenient starting point for your lake explorations. `
Meetings & Trainings
The Seminar Room is the perfect location for events with up to 100 participants and is available for domestic and international study groups, researchers, school classes, and local community groups. The professional setting and equipment provides an excellent environment for training and capacity building for conservation and sustainable development. The spacious room offers various seating options for workshops, meetings, roundtable discussions, lectures, or conferences. Everyone sharing our values is welcome to contact us to rent the Seminar Room for your own events for a reasonable fee. All revenues are directly contributing to the maintenance of the Indawgyi Wetland Education Centre, and the expansion of our free environmental education programme.