Energy Efficiency

With the wholesale costs of electricity and gas rising considerably and the effect of generating the energy that we need has on global warming, greenhouse gases, fossil fuel depletion etc. We feel that it is important to do what we can to reduce the amount of energy that the Park uses each year.

Swimming Pool Our swimming pool uses a highly efficient boiler & heat exchanger to heat the water and the pool is covered by thermal covers at night or when the pool is not in use. These covers retain heat and also utilise the suns energy to heat the water further.

Vehicles/Plant We have upgraded virtually our entire fleet of vehicles and machinery over the last few years. Our tractors, mini digger, ride on mowers and utility vehicle all have modern, more efficient engines with greater emissions control than the older vehicles that they replaced.

Lighting 99% of all external lighting and 98% of all internal lighting in Park buildings is using lower energy fluorescent, compact fluorescent, led or son bulbs. Our aim is to use 100% energy efficient lighting and controls.

Many of the new holiday homes now come pre fitted with energy efficient lighting. Our aim is to supply all used stock wherever possible with compact fluorescent bulbs fitted.

In our next newsletter we will be asking all owners to make the switch to low energy bulbs and look at other ways to reduce their energy usage.

The introduction of card meters to the holiday homes combined with a much greater awareness of energy efficiency by our holiday home owners led to a significant reduction in the amount of electricity used in the holiday home areas last year, resulting in a reduction of over 160 tonnes of carbon emissions.

Water

As we all know fresh water is a precious resource, although it is all too easy to waste it or not to worry about leaks etc. However we have to pay for every drop of fresh water that is used in the hundreds of taps, toilets showers and baths, not to mention garden watering and car washing.

Please use water wisely and report any leaks or burst pipes to the Main Office or a member of staff, thank you.

Waste & Recycling

All general household waste can now be put into the large green bins and will be sorted for recycling at a central processing plant. We are working with our waste collection company to achieve 100% of our waste not going to landfill but instead being efficiently recycled and the remainder being used to generate electricity.

Any waste that cannot be recycled will be incinerated at a new state of the art recycling facility where the heat generated is used to produce electricity.

Fridges We cannot dispose of old fridges - please take these to your local authority site who will take them free of charge and have facilities to process them safely.

Scrap metal including old push bikes, is put into a specific skip for recycling separately to the general rubbish. Speak to a member of staff for details.

Wood Old pallets, fishing decks, wooden balconies and steps can be recycled in our dedicated wood skip. Speak to a member of staff for details.

Composting

We are looking to introduce a composting scheme which will, in 12 months time, hopefully provide most of the compost that we need for our extensive flower borders, hanging baskets and planters.  Any surplus will be available to our caravan owners for their flower pots and tubs etc.

Trees and Shrubs

Since 2000, we have planted around eighty thousand shrubs and three thousand trees which have not only transformed many areas of the Park, but also provide habitat and food for some of the natural wildlife that thrives at the Park.

Much of the planting is maturing really well, the different types and colours of foliage really do look good in the summer months.

Trees that have been planted include;

English Oak, Larch, Alder, Mountain Ash, Beech, Willow, Scots Pine, Cherry, Black Poplar, Silver Birch, Norway Birch, Golden False Acacia, Whitebeam and more

Shrubs include;

Dogwood, Green Laurels, Red Robin, Portuguese Laurel, Holly, Tea Rose, Dog Rose, Willow, Cinquefoil, Snowberry, Hazel, Privet, Spindle, Berberis, Serviceberry, Hawthorn, Blackthorn, Burkwood Viburnum, Guelder Rose, Lavender, Flowering Currant, Phormium, Cordyline, Japanese Aralia, Weigela, Brachyglottis, Buddleja, Hebe, Spirea and many more.

We also plant thousands of bedding plants throughout the Park each year. Adding fantastic splashes of colour and scent to key areas of the Park.

Habitat Creation

Together with the obvious habitats created by the widescale planting of trees and shrubs we have also created random log piles in secluded areas that provide a home to many insects and small animals.

Where large trees in our original hedgerows have had to be felled due to instability or weather damage, wherever possible we have left some of the old tree trunks in place up to five metres high. Whilst the outer structure of the tree is sound - sometime the inner core is rotten and then provides home for insects, birds and more.

We have a shallow pond on site in which we grow reed mace and bull rushes of which we only harvest a maximum of 10% per year for use in and around the waterside verges on the Park.

We have a number of woodland areas that we have planted with a broad mix of native trees and those are home to many native and migrant bird species.

There are areas of grass that are purposefully left to grow long to provide cover for small mammals and foraging grounds for owls and raptors.

When remodeling some of the lakes a few years ago we ensured that an island was built. This island is now an undisturbed haven for wildlife and provides a secure nest site for many birds.

Nest Boxes

Throughout the Park there are nest boxes positioned in secluded locations. Many of the boxes are used year after year by a whole host of species.

We are looking at what other nest boxes or shelters we can provide for the birds, insects and mammals that also make the Park their home.