Winter wildlife wonderland created at Windermere wood

A wildlife conservation area is to be created in a wood on the shores of Lake Windermere to help swans, ducks and geese spend winter in the Lake District.
 
South Lakeland Parks, which provides luxury lodges and caravan holiday homes at the five-star White Cross Bay park, has committed £5,000 every year to create the haven.
 
The project will protect a tranquil corner of its flagship park between Bowness and Ambleside in the Lake District. The wood, called Park Hill, is in a secret corner of the park on the shores of the lake and will be secured to help protect the natural flora and fauna.
 
Working with the Lake District National Park Authority, the project also aims to improve the wetland “hydrosphere” on the headland and lakeshore of the wood.
 
As part of the project, further trees will be introduced at the site to screen the park from the A591 and enhance the tranquillity of visiting guests.
 
The site was recognised this year with a David Bellamy Gold Award for Conservation and both the company’s two holiday parks on Windermere are in areas of native woodland with resident deer, squirrels and rabbits as well as ducks and swans.
 
The company’s charity is Cumbria Wildlife Trust’s Water Vole Project and it is also a Platinum member of the Ambleside-based Tourism and Conservation Partnership.
 
To help the partnership raise funds for its conservation projects, all guests are asked to contribute a £1 to the partnership’s work when they book by phone or online at www.slholidays.co.uk
 
As part of the project, the LDNPA has agreed to extend the site’s season so that people can stay on the park during Christmas and New Year and up until January 14 - instead of it closing on November 14.
 
Nigel Wimpenny, Director of South Lakeland Parks, said: “Visitors love experiencing the wildlife and being this close to the lake so as a local business, it is important to us that we co-exist alongside the wildlife here and support them.”
 
For more information go to http://www.southlakelandparks.co.uk/index.asp or call 015395 69831.