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Glamis Castle holds a Gold Award for Green Tourism for its excellence in championing sustainable tourism. This is the highest accolade under the Green Tourism Business Scheme – a VisitScotland accredited initiative.
Our Gold Award is based on the implementation of 60 key environmental measures across a number of areas from energy and waste to purchasing and wildlife. Initiatives which contributed to our award include: the re-instatement of the Victorian kitchen garden from which much of the fresh produce grown is used in the restaurant; the creation of a better habitat for wildlife in the Italian Garden; recycling of waste materials; the reuse of stone from an old gasometer to create a new garden water feature; establishing a wildlife area for bees and butterflies; implementing a red squirrel survey and establishing a dedicated staff green team who received specialist training from the Abertay Centre for the Environment and the Business Environment Partnership.
Wildlife conservation is a key feature of the work here at Glamis. The threatened and indigenous red squirrel still thrives here, and with a little patience they can be seen at several places in the grounds and on the nature trail.
In the burn are salmon and other game fish along with otters which can occasionally be seen fishing and resting on the banks. There are dippers and kingfishers around the water’s edge and on the wider estate, there is often an osprey nest and other birds associated with this part of Scotland. Butterflies grace the gardens in summer and there are usually several types present, some of which are rare. Wild areas and patches of nettles are deliberately left to encourage bees and other wildlife.
We are undertaking a Bumblebee Conservation Project in 2008, with the help of the Bumblebee Conservation Trust.
Green Tourism
Two lucky prize winners picked up deluxe hampers from the castle on Saturday after their names were picked from a hat.
Scotland's Countryside Festival at Glamis Castle will also be the launch event for the Scottish Food Fortnight in September.
Staff entered the spirit of the occasion as they dressed up in final preparation for the forthcoming Peter Pan Play at Glamis.
The Pipers' Trail, an exciting musical extravaganza taking place this summer providing a piping and drumming journey the length and breadth of Scotland visited Glamis Castle today.