A BRANCH of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has been announced as potentially set to close in the new year due to a need for cost-cutting. 

Newport RSPB Wetlands retail site is one of seven nature reserves that is under consideration to close down some of the facilities due to a need for the charity to cut some costs. 

The RSPB has said that the state of the economy in recent years has led to the decision to change the way their branches work, which could include closing or changing management of some sites. 

The cost of living crisis is hitting many people, and this situation also impacts the RSPB, and indeed many in their sector, in several ways, including increasing cost pressures as suppliers put up prices and rising energy costs across their large estate.

The charity say these changes are necessary to keep them "strong and viable" for the years ahead. 

A spokesperson explained that will cost £165 million to deliver their work for nature reserves across the UK this year alone, a 10 per cent increase on the year before. 

They said: "To ensure our longer-term sustainability, we have completed a comprehensive review of our operations.

"We have looked across the organisation for improvements and efficiencies - from how we do our work to where we buy the things we need to do it.

"As our incredible nature reserves and what we deliver for nature on them make up the largest proportion of our financial spend each year, we have also been looking at our reserve network and other small pieces of land that we own or manage to make sure that what we are doing in these places makes sense both in terms of protecting and restoring nature and financially in the longer term."

The RSPB have confirmed that these closures or changes will only affect a very small number of facilities, making up one per cent of their landholding, and that none of their flagship reserves will be closing. 

The team will be looking into partnerships over the coming years to find the most "sustainable futures" for these places. 

The primary focus of some of these sites may turn to maintenance, and others on developing their incredible conservation outcomes.

The spokesperson continued: "Our long-term aim is to focus on what we do best and where we can do this most effectively, and we’re continuing to grow the area of land that we manage and conserve for nature year on year.

"Strategic acquisitions, particularly to our existing reserves, are critically important to us, so we can provide nature with bigger, more joined-up places to call home."

The RSPB have confirmed that they will provide updated details on the exact plans for the site as soon as possible.