Edinburgh guest house takes action on environment
Press Release: 12th January 2010
Contact: Jane Beaton. 01320 340242; marketing@treesforlife.org.uk
An award-winning Edinburgh guest house has established its own grove of native trees in the Caledonian Forest in the Scottish Highlands, supporting the work of conservation charity Trees for Life.
Straven Guest House, based on Brunstane Road North in Edinburgh, has set up the grove as part of its efforts to protect the environment and to tackle climate change. It has already funded 30 native trees for the new grove.
Trees for Life is working to restore a huge area of the Caledonian Forest, of which only one per cent currently survives. The grove funded by Straven Guest House is part of a scheme in which Trees for Life plants dedicated trees and groves on behalf of individuals or companies.
Mac McCool who with his wife Marian owns and personally runs the bed and breakfast said: “We are keenly aware of our carbon footprint, and of course we get visitors from all over the world. We try to encourage our guests to make a carbon conscious donation in respect of their travel to help the Caledonian Forest.
“We are passionate about environmental issues. We were thrilled to be awarded a Gold Standard by the Green Tourism Business Scheme, and we are doing all that we can to be an environmentally-friendly B and B. It’s great to be supporting the work of Trees for Life.”
Alan Watson Featherstone, Trees for Life Executive Director, said: “Setting up a Caledonian Forest grove like this brings huge benefits. It supports forest restoration, creates a vital habitat for wildlife and helps to tackle climate change. We urge other companies to follow the lead being set by businesses such as Straven Guest House.”
As well as joining the Green Tourism Business Scheme, owners Mac and Marian are taking action by recycling, conserving energy and water and reducing waste.
For more information about Trees for Life please call 0845 458 3505 or visit www.treesforlife.org.uk.
Individuals and companies can also support the charity’s award-winning work by joining its acclaimed Conservation Volunteer Weeks, which provide an opportunity to carry out practical forest restoration work during an inspiring visit to the Highlands. These weeks suit all abilities and anyone over 18 years old can take part.
Straven Guest House can be contacted on 0131 669 5580 or visit www.stravenguesthouse.com. The traditional Victorian house is based in a peaceful residential area of Edinburgh, close to Portobello beach and a short bus ride from the city centre.
Ends
Notes to editors
- Trees for Life is a pioneering charity in ecological restoration. It aims to restore the Caledonian Forest to an area of 1,500 square kilometres in the Highlands west of Inverness. Today only 1% of the original Caledonian Forest remains.
- Since planting its first trees in 1991 in Glen Affric, Trees for Life has planted over 800,000 trees. Its awards include 1991 UK Conservation Project of the Year, the Millennium Marque in 2000 and Top 10 Conservation Holidays worldwide (in 2009).
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If you have found the information on this page and/or website useful please consider making a donation, for example to our current appeal and/or becoming a member of Trees for Life, to help us further our work of restoring the Caledonian Forest. You can join or make a donation on-line via our secure server if you like, or contact Trees for Life by post, phone or email at the address below.
Published: 12th January 2010
Last updated: 25 August 2010