Secret Meadows is committed to working within an environmental and ethical framework and we strive to regularly assess and improve the impact our activities have on the environment. Here is an insight into our Environmental Policy. If you’d like to see a copy of our full policy please contact us.
Environmental Management for Natural and Cultural Heritage
As a trading arm of a wildlife charity, we fund the conservation work at the 115-acre County Wildlife Site where Secret Meadows is based. The County Wildlife Site at Secret Meadows is managed to enhance biodiversity, and our charity undertakes traditional management techniques for Lowland Meadows, a Biodiversity Action Plan priority habitat. The land is registered organic so there are no artificial chemicals applied to the land. General information, including an interpretive display shelter, is provided for visitors about the wildlife on and around the site.
Waste Management
We minimise waste by practising and encouraging the ‘eliminate, reduce, reuse, recycle’ approach. Most of the compostable waste (ash, cardboard, food waste) is composted through our local authority while some wood-only ash is spread around the bases of trees at the wildlife site to provide nutrients. Recycling bins are included in accommodation units for glass, paper, card, magazines, newspapers, plastic containers, food tins, drinks cans and foil. The white and black bin bags used at Secret Meadows are biodegradable. Effluent waste is treated on site with a septic tank and reed bed system.
Environmentally Friendly Goods and Services
We aim to source fairly traded/organic/recycled/sustainable items wherever possible and we choose traders who share this focus. The cleaning products we use and the complimentary soaps and washing liquids provided for guests are environmentally-friendly. We have sourced natural materials and products wherever possible, and avoided toxic paints and stains.
Energy
Sustainable British timber is sourced for the wood stoves and fire bowls, and British Coppice Association charcoal is sold in our shop for barbeques. Most of the luxury camping accommodation is off-grid and where electricity is used there are low energy bulbs and we plan to phase out grid-supply. Glamping accommodation units have woodburning stoves for cooking and heating and lanterns can be used instead of electrical lighting. Our carbon footprint is rated as excellent.
Social Responsibility
We share our full green policy with our staff making everyone aware of our environmental aims and objectives.
It is our intention to provide an inspiring and healthy natural environment for guests to stay in to promote wellbeing. We encourage guests to interact with the natural surroundings by walking, cycling, and participating in outdoor-based activities.
Community
We engage with schools, neighbours and local businesses. Schools can participate in our outdoor workshops, guided walks and work experience. Neighbours are invited to annual wildlife site walks and we run volunteer days.
Our volunteer programme includes the opportunity to generate credits towards a holiday at Secret Meadows. We team up with local businesses including Grange Farm Shop to stock the onsite pantry shop and provide food hampers and Suffolk Cycle Hire for bicycle hire to our guests, as well as local therapists.
We highlight eateries which are local and have a focus on high quality, locally-sourced food.
Communication – Sharing Ideas
An onsite pantry is stocked by the local farm shop, Grange Farm Shop, and provides food and drink for guests to purchase during their stay. We encourage guests to visit local farm shops and information is provided in our Welcome and Information packs.
Many local eateries are listed (with details of those providing locally-sourced food) in our welcome pack and information folders.
We welcome our guests’ feedback and ideas. Our feedback forms, from which we gather our testimonials for this website, include a section for green feedback too.