Green Tourism Gold Award for Geltsdale

The Geltsdale Visitor Centre at Stagsike Cottages has successfully maintained its Green Tourism Gold Award status.

So how green is Geltsdale?

• Geltsdale's managed semi-natural habitats are richer in embedded carbon than more intensively managed farmland, saving an estimated 3.3 mega-tonnes of carbon dioxide a year – the equivalent of 12% of English agricultural emissions.
• Our volunteers commit around 1500 hours to the reserve per annum, repairing footpaths, planting hedgerows and planting 110,000 native trees in Bruthwaite Wood in the process
• Most of the reserve is organic and grazed by sheep and cattle at low densities, preserving water quality and carbon storage.
• We use local suppliers whenever possible to limit travel miles and support the local economy.
• Our water supply is provided by a natural spring.
• Our waste water is filtered by a reed bed to remove impurities.
• We reuse old fence posts and waste wood as a fuel supply.

Fairly impressive, but we are still want to improve our performance by taking part in the RSPB's waste monitoring pilot scheme and implementing further improvements to our insulation.