As we continue to develop and improve our sustainable practices at Kitewood many new projects take shape. A few of the things we are working on are listed below:
Creating a Diverse and Robust Woodland
When the woodland at Kitewood was originally established in the nineties, the ratio of forestry trees (Sitka spruce in our case) to broadleaf ‘habitat’ trees was 80% – 20%. This was fine for forestry, however, we are far more interested in creating a diverse and habitat rich woodland and are keen to demonstrate long-term sustainable management practices. We have begun the long process of thinning the spruce and replacing the felled trees with a wide variety of broadleaf saplings including:
- Sessile Oak (Quercus petraea) – The sessile oak towers in the woods. Squirrels, jays and badgers love their acorns and caterpillars flock to eat their leaves, in fact, 326 species of wildlife are found only on sessile and other oak varieties.
- Field Maple (Acer campestre) – Pollution fighter, golden autumn stunner, syrup maker. The field maple is a sturdy broadleaf that supports caterpillars, aphids, and all their predators, all while resisting air pollution.
- Wild Cherry (Prunus avium) – Beautiful blossom and a bounty of bright red fruits. Wild cherry is one of the prettiest native trees and is enjoyed by people and wildlife alike.
- Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) – An avid producer of fruit, rowan is an elegant tree with a mystical history. Its leaves and beautiful red berries are a favourite for wildlife in woods and towns alike.
- Hazel (Corylus avellana) – Catkins resembling lambs tails, and late-summer nuts. Hazel is one of the most useful trees for its bendy stems and as a conservation saviour. Its nuts are loved by people, squirrels and hazel dormice.
- Goat Willow (Salix caprea) – Also known as the pussy willow, the male catkins of the goat willow look like a cat’s paws. It supports lots of wildlife, including the elusive and regal purple emperor butterfly.
- Downy Birch (Betula pubescens) – Soft on the outside. Tough on the inside. On a global scale, this tree, with its fuzzy leaf stalks, shoots and twigs, grows further north than any other broadleaf species and can reach a whopping 30 meters tall.
- Alder (Alnus glutinosa) – Swamp-dweller, water-lover. The wood of this tough tree doesn’t rot when waterlogged, instead turning stronger and harder.
- Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) – Named after the month in which it blooms and a sign that spring is turning to summer. The pale green leaves of this hedgerow staple are often the first to appear in spring, with an explosion of pretty pale-pink blossom in May. It simply teems with wildlife from bugs to birds.
If you want to know more about these species or see which you can find around Kitewood, you might like the Woodland Trust app which you can download here.
Demonstrating a Low-Impact Camping Business
Climate change and environmental impacts are becoming a more and more prevalent problem and it has become the norm to describe the challenges that tackling them presents, without the suggestion of any solutions. To this end, we try to demonstrate at Kitewood some of the ways in which a sustainable business might face these challenges and we have listed them below:
- Solar Electricity – All of the electricity at Kitewood is produced using photovoltaic solar panels. These amazing devices collect incoming solar radiation during the day, storing any excess in batteries for use once the sun goes down providing all the power we need 24 hours a day. The benefit of this technology is that it has no moving parts and as a result enjoys a 20+ year lifespan, all whilst creating no disturbance (noise or otherwise) for people and wildlife.
- Sustainable Firewood – All of the firewood we use is produced by us, on-site. This means that not only has the wood used absolutely no fuel to get to its destination, but we can also ensure that it has the least impact for the environment possible by planting replacement trees of greater habitat value and by taking only what we need. This means that we can provide you with a lovely campfire, knowing that twice as many trees are now growing as a result of that one being felled.
- Ecological Detergents – One of the common issues with wastewater (from showers, washing-up, etc.) is that it contains detergents, these can be highly detrimental to the ecology of waterways and rivers if it is not treated correctly. At Kitewood we avoid that problem completely by using detergents that have little or no impact on aquatic flora and fauna, with the added benefit of all products being provided to our customers.
- Compost Toilets – This often ignored technology means that we can provide hygienic, safe and convenient toilets for hundreds of customers every year, all without using a single drop of water or any kind of chemical.
