WORKING for wildlife as well as tourists has proved a winning combination for a Lake District caravan site.
Skelwith Fold Caravan Park near Ambleside beat off stiff competition to bag a prestigious national award for imaginative environmental measures, which include creating a reed bed sewage system and installing 300 nesting boxes.
Father and son team Syd and Henry Wild said they were delighted to win the National Parks Conservation Award.
"We have the natural beauty of the area and couldn't be in a better location, so we have put a management plan in place to make sure we look after it in sympathy with the environment.
We are a business that is making money but have proved that this is possible while working towards enhancing the environment too," Henry told the Gazette.
Measures include everything from recycling to installing squirrel feeders and planting 5,000 trees.
Materials are always reused, so if stone is dug out to create pathways it is then stockpiled for future building work, as is timber.
"We realised we were creating waste so took expert advice on dealing with it.
We have installed a reed bed sewage system where Phragmites Australis removes all the nitrates and other nasties," added Henry.
An abundance of wildlife, with residents including everything from insects to red deer, prompted the compilation of a wildlife audit, which has not only provided the basis of a management plan but also given visitors interesting information and a thriving wildlife club.
Visitors are also encouraged to leave their cars and use public transport, and to visit attractions away from honeypot towns too, such as Muncaster Castle.
"Even something as simple as asking Bank Holiday visitors to come on a Thursday or Saturday instead of Friday can help spread the traffic flow in the Lake District."
In the business for more than 30 years, with an additional site in Lancashire, the Wilds took over Skelwith Fold four years ago.
The 130-acre site has 300 caravan holiday homes plus pitches for 150 touring caravans and is visited by up to 175,000 people a year.
Henry said there were plans to add a new office shop and function room, and added: "Even the caravans can be recycled, and enable people to have second homes in the Lake District without taking houses out of the housing pool."
Chief executive of the Lake District National Park Authority Paul Tiplady said he was impressed with all entries from the area, and delighted so much good work was going on.
"The Wild family have shown that tourism and conservation can go hand in hand and they thoroughly deserve their award."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article