A TAVISTOCK holiday park has just received an extra special distinction for its dedication to conservation.

Harford Bridge Holiday Park has achieved 'gold plus' for the David Bellamy Conservation Award Scheme 2013/14.

The gold award, for effort and dedication towards conservation, wildlife and the environment, has been added to with a 'special distinction' from Professor David Bellamy. 

Prof Bellamy said the additional award was for the work creating and managing the habitats around the park, especially the way landscaping had been combined with wildlife conservation.

All the new planting work — and particularly the way in which the garden at Harford House had been re-modelled — won the special distinction.  

The assessor said 'Harford Bridge has fully embraced the ethos behind the David Bellamy Conservation Award. This is exactly the kind of environmental initiative that the scheme hoped to encourage'.

Only a small handful of holiday parks receive this award each year. The aim of the award is to give the parks and its staff a big 'pat on the back' and to motivate them to come up with even more good ideas in the future.

The David Bellamy Conservation Award Scheme was set up in 1996 by Prof Bellamy and is designed to recognise British Holiday Parks for their contribution and commitment towards the protection and enhancement of the natural environment.

The assessment of the park covers many environmental issues — ranging from aspects such as the care of hedgerows and wild flowers to the siting of bird boxes and the development and protection of habitat rich field boundaries, wildlife havens and other habitat.

Prof Bellamy also looks at aspects of park management which do not directly affect the immediate environment, but which are important in overall conservation terms, such as sensible water management systems, the utilisation of long-life light bulbs and recycling of waste.