At Discover Parks, we're passionate about the countryside in which we're lucky enough to be located.
Looking after our bit of the planet is really important to us, as it is to our owners and guests. From recycling our waste, reducing single plastic use, harnessing solar energy and using electric maintenance vehicles - we're always trying to find new ways to be greener. None of us can fix climate change in isolation - but every little bit we do helps relieve the stress on the planet.
Here's just a selection of some of our green projects -
DAVID BELLAMY AWARDS
We are incredibly proud that both Pearl Lake and Arrow Bank have achieved gold and silver David Bellamy Conservation Award for continued commitment to conservation and the environment on both parks.
In 2024 Arrow Bank, Pearl Lake and Rockbridge took part in the David Bellamy 'Blooming Marvellous' Challenge. All three parks completed the 'Home Sweet Home' section, installing new bird, bat and owl boxes and other wildlife homes across the parks.
HEREFORDSHIRE’S BEES
Our parks are certified honey bee friendly!
HABITAT HIGHWAYS
We hope campers will be delighted to discover that we leave wildlife corridors between our generous camping pitches at Arrow Bank and Rockbridge.
These habitat highways are areas around each pitch that we leave unmown to allow wildlife to flourish. Grasses and wildflowers make great places for visitors from bees to butterflies, hedgehogs to craneflies.
HEDGEHOGS
Hedgehogs in the UK are now vulnerable to extinction. We work with local organisation “Help for Hogs” to ensure that any hedgehogs found in distress on our parks can be rehabilitated.
ELECTRIC VEHICLES
Guest (untethered) charging points are available at Arrow Bank - payment is via ‘Monta’ app. Owners and visitors from Pearl Lake and Rockbridge can also use these charging points. We hope to roll these out at Rockbridge by the end of 2025, followed by Pearl Lake. It's not a quick process.
Many of our maintenance vehicles which are used all the time on and between our parks are electric.
SOLAR PANELS
Are installed on the roof of the Lakeside Bar and Bistro at Pearl Lake and are feeding back into the national grid.
RECYCLING
On Pearl Lake and Arrow Bank, our waste collection company uses a Mixed-Waste Processing System which means that our waste streams are separated by machines or by hand when they arrive at the materials recycling facility.
100% of our rubbish is subject to this sorting process. We chose this company because of their recycling, reusability and traceability credentials.
At Rockbridge we adhere to the Welsh recycling legislation with separate bins for everything.
We recycle the off cuts of the composite decking we make onsite back to our suppliers.
LOCAL PRODUCTS
In our self catering welcome packs we put Franks Biscuits, Two farmers crisps and ZaraMama pop a cobs - all are locally produced. We have a milk machine at Pearl Lake providing milk and milk shakes, installed and operated by a farmer just three miles from the park. During the summer months we sell locally grown strawberries.
LEAF MULCHING PROJECT
Autumn leaves are collected from across the parks and brought into the woods at Pearl Lake where they’re tipped onto the ever-growing mound - roughly 30 tonnes worth. It takes 3 years to create a mulch we can use. Our mulch is a superb natural option compared to many other types of mulch. We use it to protect the earth from the cold, enrich the soil with growth promoting nutrients whilst keeping it hydrated, attracting earthworms and many other useful organisms.
SURFERS AGAINST SEWAGE - PLASTIC FREE CHAMPION
We've reached the first stage in our journey to become as plastic free as possible across our 3 parks.
Surfers Against Sewage - a UK environmental group working to clean up our oceans - have awarded us SAS Plastic Champion Status.
In our moves to care for the environment we’re using sealed notice boards to cut down on lamination, have introduced a milk kiosk at Pearl Lake using glass refillable bottles instead of milk cartons and are using refillable containers for all cleaning products in housekeeping across our self catering & touring areas hence cutting out single use plastic.
We are constantly adding to this list.