Bowhill House keeps its gold status with Green Tourism Award

21st June, 2017

Bowhill House and Country Estate retained its gold Green Tourism Award for the fourth time following glowing feedback from the awarding body during a rigorous inspection.

The visitor destination in Selkirk, which has retained its gold status since it was first awarded in 2009, was commended for the work its Ranger service carries out with schools in the area, as well as for its use of local produce in the tearoom and local suppliers stocked in its shop.

Other examples of Bowhill’s green practices include a robust recycling system and its biomass boiler which heats the Estate’s offices.

Sarah Richardson, Customer Services Manager, said: “All our staff work incredibly hard to ensure looking after the environment and supporting the local area is at the heart of our practices and ethos.

“We were incredibly proud when we first achieved the gold award eight years ago, and we are delighted to have retained it following each of our three subsequent assessments. We will be looking at ways we can be even more environmentally friendly over the next two years.”

Last year, pupils from St Margaret’s Primary School in Hawick visited Bowhill House and Country Estate for a tour of the gardens which inspired the design of their very own produce garden thanks to the help of the Bowhill Rangers.

The Ranger Service from the Estate (which operates with funding assistance from SNH), worked closely with the local school children in the design and development of their garden.

The activity was just one example of community initiatives undertaken by staff that helped to secure the gold award.

Green Tourism is the world’s largest sustainable certification programme. An advisor from the organisation visits each of its members every two years to assess them against a range of criteria.

Gold Green Tourism Award recipients have demonstrated excellent practices and the use of the latest sustainable technologies, as well as a commitment to sourcing sustainable, ethical and local produce.

For further information on Bowhill House and Country Estate or keep track of what’s happening via the Facebook page and Instagram @BowhillHouse.