Almost half of UK adults went on a domestic camping and caravanning holiday in the last three years, according to market analysts Mintel and it’s no secret that Devon is one of the most popular counties they head to.
That, however, can place pressure on the countryside and increase environmental concerns about the threat to wildlife. Yet, academic research has proven that camping provides one of the best opportunities to connect with nature, improving both physical and mental health.
The David Blooming Marvellous Pledge for Nature is a new initiative to which campsites and holiday parks can commit to highlight their dedication to helping Britain’s wildlife.
As well as a number of defined pledges, each year parks must also begin at least one big project to help nature. These may include creating pollinator patches for bees and butterflies, helping an at-risk species, planting native trees, creating woodlands, or boosting wetland habitats.
Rufus Bellamy, instigator of the scheme, says: ‘The Blooming Marvellous Pledge builds on the amazing work done by parks under the David Bellamy Conservation Award Scheme, which ran for more than 25 years. The scheme was set up by the British Holiday & Home Parks Association (BH&HPA) and my father, Professor David Bellamy, who was one of the UK’s leading environmentalists. The pledge honours his legacy and his practical and pragmatic approach to nature conservation. David dedicated his life to encouraging people to get out into the countryside so that they could experience and value nature. The pledge continues this vital work.’
There are many campsites and holiday parks throughout Devon that have committed to helping wildlife, either through the David Bellamy Blooming Marvellous Pledge for Nature or under their own conservation plans. Here’s six of them.
Forest Glade sits within a woodland clearing that has remained unchanged in size for more than 100 years. The park, which is situated in the Blackdown Hills National Landscape, is committed to preserving the natural environment and reducing its carbon footprint.
As such, Forest Glade has participated in the Bellamy Awards since its inception and achieved Gold for many years. Mature trees on the park are managed sensitively, complemented by new tree plantings. The park is also increasing the availability of pollen- and nectar-rich plants throughout the seasons while hedgerows and grassland areas are maintained to promote the growth of wildflowers to attract more bees. Consequently, there’s plenty of wildlife to see.
forest-glade.co.uk
Guests staying at Lydford Caravan and Camping Park, within Dartmoor National Park, are in for a treat with the chance to encounter plenty of wildlife.
Owner Roger Stokes says: ‘We endeavour to have minimal impact on the environment whilst encouraging our guests to enjoy the uniqueness of Dartmoor. Maintaining and creating habitats within the campsite encourages wildlife and wildflowers, whilst helping provide important wildlife corridors. The park is blessed with a wide variety of butterflies, moths, beetles, spiders, birds, frogs, toads, hedgehogs, fungi, lichens and so much more.
‘Managing the park in an environmentally responsible way is very rewarding. We are now using our own compost for mulching, seed sowing, and planters. There’s a wide selection of pollinator plants sited around the park, providing sources of nectar to the many insects and bees that visit. The park benefits from beautiful large meadow areas which are left uncut and where, in the past two years, we have seen pignuts growing, which is vital for some species of beetles and particularly chimney sweeper moths. Pignut is a good indicator of ancient, undisturbed grasslands. Towards the end of our season pink ballerina waxcaps can be spotted dancing across the meadows.’
lydfordsite.co.uk
Within the East Devon National Landscape is Oakdown Holiday Park, a five-star park with touring pitches, glamping facilities (pods and shepherd’s huts) and luxury holiday homes. Touring pitches for tents, motorhomes and caravans are clustered in cosy groves, lined by hedgerows while mature trees are dotted throughout the park. Adjacent is a nine-hole golf course.
As part of the Pledge for Nature scheme, certain areas are deliberately left to nature with an environmental plan for maintaining the health of existing trees, planting new and nurturing native species. Within the wider parkland is a bird hide, accessible via footpaths, for birdspotting and a wetland area based upon a Victorian reed bed.
oakdown.co.uk
Ruda Holiday Park is one of 66 parks around the UK owned by Parkdean Resorts. The company also owns and manages part of Croyde beach, a 300-metre walk from the park entrance.
Many of the initiatives taking place on and around Croyde beach are led by Holly Robertson, who has been beach manager at Ruda since 2019.
Parkdean Resorts signed the pledge last summer and since then the team at Ruda has selected a new Special Species project and has developed plans to improve the habitats of four species on the Devon Special Species list, as highlighted by the Devon Local Nature Partnership. These include the brown-banded carder bee, greater horseshoe bat, the willow tit, and the beachcomber beetle.
Holly says: ‘We’re extremely passionate about maintaining and improving our local environment to make it a wonderful place for locals and visitors as well as wildlife. North Devon has so much biodiversity and we’re delighted to support local species through our work with the Pledge for Nature.
‘We set some ambitious targets, with all the species we chose deemed to be either rare or locally extinct. As a result of our education programmes there are more driftwood habitats on Croyde beach than ever. We’re hoping this year to have had the first North Devon sighting of the beachcomber beetle in 20 years.’
parkdeanresorts.co.uk
Environmental conservation is nothing new at Smytham. The holiday park, which offers touring pitches and camping pods only a mile from the gardens of RHS Garden Rosemoor, has certificates awarded for more than 20 years of conservation efforts under the David Bellamy Conservation Award Scheme.
The park is continuing its efforts under the new initiative, managing a host of wildlife habitats that visitors can enjoy, including wildflower meadows, woodland, wetland areas and ancient hedgerows. Guests can pick up a Nature Trail backpack at reception and head off on a new nature trail; there’s also a fairy trail for children along the way, with educational signs highlighting wildlife to look out for.
smytham.co.uk
Often described as Devon’s best-kept secret, the idyllic waterside village of Stoke Gabriel is only a mile from Whitehill Country Park, a family-run touring park on the English Riviera.
The campsite covers 40 acres, ten of which are woodland. These are home to native bluebells that provide a stunning display in late spring. Other habitats include several no-mow wild grassland areas, while 2024 has already seen a number of new wildflower pollinator patches planted.
The Pledge for Nature scheme is incorporated into activity sheets for children; seasonal trails encourage guests to explore the park and woodlands. These include a Blooming Marvellous Butterfly Trail where guests search for ten images of native butterflies hidden in the woods to win a prize. The trail sheet includes facts about each butterfly and the prize includes a little package of wildflower seeds to create pollinator patches at home.
whitehill-park.co.uk
To find other parks involved in the scheme go to ukparks.com/bellamy-awards
