p22 ttg_lux_ecoV2 Aut09 28/9/09 13:04 Page 22
voice of
r
i
p
reason
Chris Breen
t
Founder, Wildlife Worldwide
Action is urgently needed – or amazingly, the
lion could soon join the list of endangered
species. Its African population has declined by
o
90% in the last 20 years, but trophy hunting
and poaching continue.
Tourism has a massive role to play in the
conservation of species and the preservation
of the world’s wild places. But only the right
type of tourism: UK agents have a critical role
in educating their clients to travel with
ec
responsible tour operators.
When on safari in Africa it may appear there
are lions in abundance. But the past 20 years
have seen a population decline so serious
there is a real danger of them becoming an
endangered species in our lifetime. In the
1980s Africa’s lion population was around
DORCHESTER’S ECO-HOTEL PLAN 200,000; now it is no more than 20,000.
Dorchester Collection’s new environmentally-friendly country-house hotel, Coworth In the 1980s, I was a safari guide in
Park, is on track to open next summer, writes April Hutchinson. Zambia’s Luangwa Valley. It had the highest
Set in 200 acres of Surrey parkland, 40 minutes from central London, Coworth density of black rhinos in Africa, and the
Park is being built with ground-up green philosophy, including its own biomass boiler greatest population of elephants (around
housed in an underground energy centre. 4,000 and 80,000 respectively at its peak). We
Fuel will come from burning willow grown on the estate; 15 acres of willow are were losing 10 elephants a day to poachers
being planted in order to create the three-year growth cycle needed to sustain the fuel. with Kalashnikovs – on walking safaris we
In another initiative, cooling for the hotel comes from a complex underground system often heard gunfire and saw evidence of the
of pipes buried all over the site, which circulate ground-source water. poachers’ deadly work. Fast forward to 2009
Set to be one of the UK’s most eco-friendly hotels when it opens, Coworth Park will and there is little or no elephant poaching in
have 70 guestrooms and a 10-room eco-spa. The spa is being built underground, with the area and the population has recovered.
a “living roof” of plants such as St John’s wort, thyme, camomile and lavender, which The rhinos are another story: having been
will be used as spa ingredients. exterminated, there is a re-introduction
All trees on the site have been recorded and have to be protected, while disruption programme under way and there are now
to the habitats of local birdlife – and bats – living in places such as the stables and the 20 living and breeding in the Luangwa.
cottages currently under renovation for guest accommodation, must be protected too. The lion’s story is still to be played out,
Ray Pask, Dorchester Collection’s chief engineer in charge of the project, said: but unless we take action quickly, it will follow
“This hotel is a sympathetic redevelopment of a country house using leading edge the same demise as those of the rhino and
technology and traditional methods. the tiger. We need to do more now, to ensure
“We are on track to deliver in excess of 40% sustainable technology, far exceeding the lions are still around for our children,
most councils’ targets which are often set at 20%. This way is greener and it’s more and theirs.
cost-effective in the long term.” (coworthpark.com) Agents wanting to get involved should visit
the South Luangwa Conservation Society
(slcs-zambia.org). The David Shepherd
Wildlife Foundation (davidshephered.org) has
ECO TIPS
RADICAL RITZ The new 146-room Ritz-Carlton in Charlotte, North Carolina, also been campaigning against poaching for
is being billed as the company’s first “eco-conscious” property. Green initiatives include a years. It is supported by Wildlife Worldwide’s
vegetated roof to insulate the 18-storey building, an in-house water purification system, annual Festival of Wildlife; let clients know
dedicated bike valet, plant irrigation using captured rainwater and free parking for hybrid the next one is an eight-day trip to the
vehicles (ritzcarlton.com). OZ AWARENESS Australia’s Northern Territory has joined forces Pantanal in Brazil, September 10-17, 2010.
with eco travel agent Responsible Travel to raise awareness of the region’s eco-friendly tours Find out more at
wildlifeworldwide.com
and holidays around the Red Centre and tropical Top End. The six-month campaign is
highlighting green tourism with destination guides, bookable packages, tour tips and news
‘We were losing 10 a
alerts (australiasoutback.com). RED THE NEW GREEN? The Scarlet, what’s claimed to be the
UK’s first purpose-built eco-hotel, has opened at Mawgan Porth in Cornwall. The 37-room hotel
day to poachers with
features a carbon-neutral, woodchip-fired biomass boiler and sea-thrift planted roofs – as well
as an Ayurvedic spa and cuisine from Kalashnikovs’
Michelin-starred Ben Tunnicliffe. Half-
price opening offers of £90 a night
(scarlethotel.co.uk). ZERO HERO Six
Senses is about to open its prototype
zero carbon-emissions Eco-Villa at
Soneva Kiri by Six Senses, its new resort
on Koh Kood in Thailand. Other resort
highlights include treetop dining in pods
suspended from the trees. Seasons in
Style has seven nights at the resort (and
two at The Peninsula Bangkok) from
£3,245pp with flights (sixsenses.com,
22
seasonsinstyle.com).
in the know
autumn 09
ttgluxury.com
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