Three Coquet Valley B&B’s have been honoured with a new, National Park green award for nature tourism. Silverton House, Tosson Tower Farm and Parsonside House have all achieved the highest standards for their friendliness to the natural environment and their welcome to six native bumblebee species in particular.
In April 2007 Northumberland National Park’s Biodiversity Officer, Shaun Hackett, invited 50 Bed & Breakfast establishments to take part in the B & Bs for Bumblebees awards scheme throughout the summer.
Nature Tourism is rising in popularity and bumblebees are an important indicator species of the health of the natural environment, so the National Park is keen to encourage accommodation and visitor service providers to create havens to for these and other creatures that attract native mammals and birds.
The award is open to accommodation or leisure providers that are committed to improving existing green spaces to attract these important and attractive pollinators of flowers and crops. The B&B’s garden or leisure area may already contain a variety of nectar-rich plants, either cultivated or wild, that support a healthy bumblebee population or have the potential to develop further with improved planting and nest boxes. All entrants were offered free help and advice including information on bumblebees, the plants to choose to provide nectar throughout the bumblebee season and species identification cards.
The three award-winning B&Bs were inspected during the summer and found to have particularly welcoming surroundings, attracting the ’Big Six’ species of bumblebees including the Buff-tailed; Common carder; Early, Garden, Red-tailed and White-tailed.
Shaun Hackett was delighted with the response. Presenting the awards to the winners he said: "These three B&Bs are a credit to the Coquet Valley and role models for what we’d like to see the area celebrated for – the best of sustainable, nature-friendly tourism."
He added: "I found that many people who took part in the award scheme became very enthusiastic to learn more about `their` bumblebees and were keen to pass on the information to visitors. Some took to recording the numbers of bees and the types of flower that were most visited. We’ll certainly be running the scheme again next year and hope lots more people will enter."
People who are interested in taking part in B&Bs for Bumblebees in 2008 should visit: www.northumberlandnationalpark.org.uk in the new year or contact Shaun Hackett on Tel: 01669 622069.
