British woodlands are home to some of the UK’s most remarkable wildlife. But over the past century, both native animal and tree species have been disappearing at an alarming rate. That’s why, in 2020, holidaycottages.co.uk partnered with the RSPB and in 2021, collaborated on a long-term woodland restoration project.
And now, in early 2025, we’re thrilled to share an amazing milestone that we’ve achieved together. With your incredible support, we’ve restored an outstanding 1 million square metres of British woodland – each square metre funded by bookings made through holidaycottages.co.uk.
That’s 1 million square metres of thriving habitat for wildlife and future generations.
That’s equivalent to:
- 83 Trafalgar Squares (happy pigeons included!)
- 140 football pitches – giving nature the promotion it deserves
- 5111 tennis courts – advantage, nature
- 35,317 double-decker buses parked together – public transport is better for the environment
Through this campaign, we’ve helped restore dense, luscious woodlands that nurture a huge variety of plants and animals. Every holiday booked with us has directly contributed to saving nature, one square metre at a time.
Image credit: RSPB
Why woodland restoration matters
Woodlands are more than just a beautiful backdrop to your countryside getaways. They’re critical to the health of our environment and our way of life.
Healthy woodlands…
- Provide vital habitats for birds, bees, butterflies, and mammals
- Absorb carbon dioxide, helping combat climate change
- Reduce flood risks by soaking up rainfall
- Support clean air and biodiversity
But our woodlands need us. Ancient woodland only covers 2.5% of the UK and takes hundreds of years to establish, which means restoration efforts are imperative for protecting this irreplaceable habitat and offering a safe haven for wildlife.
Image credit: RSPB
What 1 million square metres of woodland means
Thanks to your bookings, our partnership with the RSPB has supported 2,150 species across four key RSPB woodland reserves across the UK, including Haweswater in the Lake District, Franchises Lodge in England, Gwenffrwd Dinas in Wales, and Glenborrodale in Scotland.
Here’s what that looks like:
- 130 bird species – like the charming pied flycatcher and the lesser spotted woodpecker.
- 395 plant and flower species – creating a rich tapestry of colour and life.
- 240 mosses, lichens, and liverwort species – key components of countless ecosystems.
- 962 insect species – from Purple Hairstreak butterflies to Rhinoceros beetles.
- 30 bee species – pollination champions essential to our food systems and biodiversity.
Woodland mammals, such as pine martens, otters, wood mice, and common pipistrelle bats, have also benefited from this expansive restoration. These woodlands are now a thriving community for wildlife to call home.
Image credit: RSPB
A collective triumph
This milestone isn’t just ours – it’s yours too. Every booking you made through holidaycottages.co.uk helped us reach this incredible point. Whether you stayed in a romantic cabin, a dog-friendly retreat, or a seaside bolthole, your support has directly impacted the environment.
To put things into perspective:
- That’s nearly 10 O2 Arenas worth of restored wild forest.
Every square metre restored matters, and collectively, you’ve made all the difference. Thank you for choosing holidaycottages.co.uk and for being part of this landmark achievement.
Image credit: RSPB
Play along – speculate the supported species!
To celebrate this milestone, we’ve launched a fun competition. Guess the number of species that our partnership with the RSPB has supported, and you could win a holiday cottage getaway!
Here’s a hint for you – you’ll find the answer somewhere in the blog above.
Tap the button below to enter and get a chance to win a £500 holidaycottages.co.uk voucher.
Enter the competition
*Please note that this competition has now closed.*
A heartfelt thank you from the RSPB
Watch this short video from the RSPB, featuring Katie-Jo Luxton, the RSPB's Global Conservation Director.
Join us in restoring even more woodland
This milestone marks an exciting chapter in our commitment to saving nature. But the story doesn’t end here! There’s still more to do to protect British wildlife. With your next booking, you’ll continue this important work, one square metre at a time.
Be part of the next million square metres.
Book your next happy place now and help nature thrive.
Explore Cottages and Restore Woodland
holidaycottages.co.uk – RSPB One Million Square Metres of British Woodland Competition
Promoter: This Prize Draw is run by holidaycottages.co.uk, part of the Travel Chapter Limited. Full Promoter details can be found at the end of these terms.
If you have any questions, please get in touch with our team at [email protected]
Prize Draw Terms
- Opening & Closing Dates:
Entries open on 2 May 2025 and close at 9am on 12 May 2025. Entries received after this time will not be counted.
- Eligibility:
- Open to UK residents aged 18 or over.
- Only one entry per person, per post, will be counted
- Employees of the Promoter, their families, or affiliated agencies are not eligible to enter.
- How to Enter:
- No purchase necessary.
- Entries can be made by:
- Commenting on the relevant competition posts on our social media channels, with the correct number of species in 1 million square metres of British woodland, according to the corresponding blog post.
- All entries will be combined into a single Prize Draw.
- Prize Details:
- Winner Notification & Delivery:
- Winners will be contacted directly by a member of the holidaycottages.co.uk team.
- Prizes will be delivered to the UK email address provided by the winner following notification of their win.
- The Promoter is not responsible for prizes lost, delayed, or damaged in transit, or for any additional expenses incurred by winners.
Legal & Privacy Information
- General Conditions:
- By entering, you agree to be bound by these terms and conditions.
- The Promoter reserves the right to withdraw, cancel, or amend the promotion without notice due to circumstances beyond its control.
- Prize Substitution & Availability:
- Prizes are non-transferable and no cash alternatives will be offered.
- In the event of prize unavailability, the Promoter reserves the right to substitute the prize with one of equal or greater value.
- Use of Personal Data:
- Your personal data will be used solely to administer the Prize Draw, in accordance with UK data protection laws and our Privacy Policy.
- If you’ve opted in to receive marketing communications, your details will be added to our mailing list and you may unsubscribe at any time.
- Publicity:
- Winners may be asked to take part in reasonable publicity relating to the Prize Draw.
- The Promoter will make available the surname and county of the winner upon request for one month after the closing date. If you object to this, please inform us when responding to your winner notification.
- Disqualification:
- Automated or bulk entries will be disqualified.
- In the event a winner cannot be contacted or does not respond, the Promoter reserves the right to select an alternative winner.
- Liability:
- The Promoter accepts no responsibility for any loss, damage, or injury arising from participation in the Prize Draw or use of the prize, except where liability cannot be excluded by law.
- Your statutory rights are not affected.
- Jurisdiction:
- These terms are governed by English law, and disputes will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England.
- Social Media Disclaimer:
- This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter) or any other social media platform.
Promoter:
Travel Chapter Limited (Company No. 02431506)
Registered in England and Wales
Registered Office: Travel Chapter House, Gammaton Road, Bideford, England, EX39 4DF