We are delighted that Kerswell Farm Cottages has just been accepted as a Business Partner for the North Devon UNESCO Biosphere Reserve! The North Devon Coast Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, just a couple of miles from our farm, are within the Biosphere Reserve area which includes the catchment areas of the Taw and Torridge rivers (our own streams feed into the Torridge), the sand dune system at Braunton Burrows, and an area out to sea including Lundy. The overall vision for the area is that the community thrives through effective participation in developing sustainable lifestyles that are reflected in the enhancement of the environment in which they live and work, and as Business Partners we are proud to actively be a part of this.
The Biosphere’s landscape is the stunning product of natural processes and people’s management over thousands of years. It is one of our greatest cultural assets. Most of the coast in the Biosphere Reserve is designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The variety of wildlife in North Devon’s Biosphere Reserve is amazing and it is home to a number of rare and characteristic habitats and species. The new visitor’s website can be found by following this link: The North Devon Biosphere – a place where people and nature come together
We love North Devon, and want to be involved in keeping it unique. We can share this passion with our guests in many ways, but to be recognised as having this commitment feels special to us. We’re proud to live in the North Devon Biosphere Reserve, and to be part of a sustainable business network that looks after the very assets that attract 80% of our visitors. Supporting other like-minded businesses is also important, and the network will give us opportunities to connect and thrive together.
And we have a new feature for our cottage guests!!! We’re committed to reducing our carbon footprint in any way we can, and to help with this have now installed an electric car charging point, using power generated from our solar panels where possible, to help our guests also be ‘greener’ when staying with us. Currently only outside The Old Piggery, we will aim to add another to The Old Shippen as hybrid vehicles become even more popular.