During 2022, holidaycottages.co.uk supported the RSPB in its woodland restoration projects at several key UK conservation sites. By fulfilling a role in protecting our natural landscapes and wildlife in the UK, we have been able to devote ourselves to important environmental issues that are close to our hearts. This is why many of our customers choose to holiday with us every year.
We feel it’s important to help preserve these habitats for future generations. To realise this task, over the course of 2022, for every booking made with us, we have made a donation to the RSPB to help restore 1 square metre of British woodland.
In 2022, donations helped fund projects based at three sites in the UK: RSPB Franchises Lodge in the New Forest, Gwenffrwd Dinas in Wales, and RSPB Glenborrodale in Scotland. At this trio of sites, we have been able to restore a combined 225,772 square metres (22.5 hectares) of woodland. We will be continuing our support for all of these reserves in 2023.
As the RSPB continues its work to restore woodland and protect existing areas such as planted wildflower meadows and open spaces for birdlife, wildlife and plantlife, our support has helped to keep carbon locked in and support a wide range of biodiversity benefits.
News from Franchises Lodge in the New Forest
RSPB Franchises Lodge is a 1,000-acre site in the New Forest. It was first acquired by the charity in 2018 and was one of the most significant purchases in the history of the RSPB. A once privately owned and partially managed area of forest, woodlands and heathlands, some areas of Franchises Lodge are still a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) whilst much of it was left to grow wild. The RSPB has opened an on-site residential study centre called Cameron’s Cottage where school children and students can come and work via volunteer schemes.
At Franchises Lodge, the RSPB will be focusing on maintaining the site’s existing broadleaf woodland, as well as the enhancement of wood pasture and the recreation of open heathland. Scientists, conservationists and rangers will continue their cataloguing projects to establish what species of birds, wildlife and plants grow and live on the land. So far, wood warbler, hawfinch, spotted flycatcher, firecrest and redstarts have been seen as well as an internationally important lichen community. It’s also home to a range of invertebrates such as beetles and butterflies.
Visit RSPB Franchises Lodge
News from RSPB Glenborrodale in Scotland
Restoring the woodland of RSPB Glenborrodale in Scotland secures the future of these ancient trees and we have helped to protect 75,000 square metres of precious woodland, preventing these carbon stores from emitting CO2 and ensuring that it remains locked in.
RSPB Glenborrodale is home to an incredibly rare temperate rainforest habitat; this makes its survival and management very important. To ensure the longevity of the rainforest’s biodiversity, crucial maintenance has been undertaken to promote the natural regeneration of butterflies, lichens, mosses, liverworts, fungi and other plants, some of which are unique to Glenborrodale. The funding from our bookings will support the RSPB in significantly realising its goals of restoring and regenerating the rainforest at the Glenborrodale Nature Reserve.
“We have had a busy year at our Glenborrodale Reserve this year. Funding from holidaycottages.co.uk has helped us achieve a range of important activities across the reserve. These have included the removal of non-native species rhododendron ponticum and Sitka spruce. These species do not support the rich and incredible biodiversity that Scotland’s rainforest is renowned for. Repair work has been carried out on deer fences to ensure we minimise the impact of herbivores on young trees too. We have also cut bracken away in areas in order to promote the natural regeneration of broadleaf woodland and provide habitats for rare butterflies such as pearl-bordered fritillary.
“We are really looking forward to accomplishing the project work we have planned in 2023, which includes further non-native species management, and improving public access through the reserve so that it remains sensitive to this amazing woodland.” - Izzy Baker, Site Manager
Visit RSPB Glenborrodale
News from RSPB Gwenffrwd Dinas in Wales
RSPB Gwenffrwd Dinas in Wales is home to rare West Atlantic oak woodland habitat, that requires a great deal of protection and regeneration. Our support has enabled site management to sustain and improve the woodland’s future prospects by introducing grazing cattle, extensive bracken and bramble clearing, and the installation and maintenance of fencing and tree guards for seedlings and saplings.
A moist environment is vital to the survival of the wealth of bryophytes and lichens too, so strips of scrubland have been fenced off along exposed edges of the forest to prevent the woodland from drying out. Besides the introduced cattle, overwintering birds like pied flycatchers, and a variety of insects make RSPB Gwenffrwd Dinas their home. Our support has contributed to fencing, scrub clearing and the introduction of cactus tree guards.
“We are hugely grateful for the funding we have received to support our work at Gwenffrwd Dinas, and as well as allowing us to deliver conservation benefits, the funding has supported our work with local contractors and is a valuable contribution to the local economy. We are looking forward to continuing our work with holidaycottages.co.uk in the future and we will continue to deliver positive actions for nature for the remainder of the financial year.” – Jon Cryer, Site Manager
Visit RSPB Gwenffrwd Dinas
The future
At holidaycottages.co.uk, we have pledged to continue our supportive partnership with the RSPB, offering continued donations in order to help the charity preserve important habitats and keep carbon locked away. For more information on the RSPB’s national initiatives to improve our open spaces, please visit its website.
Visit the RSPB