Oxygen Escapes

In recent years, ecotourism has evolved from being a niche travel choice to one of the most exciting changes in the travel industry; shaping the way we think about rest, relaxation, and our relationship with the natural world. Oxygen Conservation are committed to being at the forefront of this revolution, redefining ecotourism by incorporating accessibility, authenticity, and comfort alongside a genuine commitment to conservation and sustainability, making it an inspirational and aspirational choice for travellers, particularly in the UK.

This article introduces the concept of Oxygen Escapes, a range of unique guest experiences. Here, we outline our thinking about what defines ecotourism and describe our aspirations for redefining what is possible from a conservation-focused ecotourism offering.

Understanding Ecotourism

Ecotourism, as defined by The International Ecotourism Society (TIES – lovely acronym), is “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, sustains the well-being of the local people, and involves interpretation and education.”

This definition underscores the foundations of ecotourism, which we believe is built on three fundamental pillars: conservation, community, and experience.

1. Conservation: Positive Environmental Impact

Positive environmental impact is the cornerstone of ecotourism and our mission at Oxygen Conservation. It's about active engagement in preserving and restoring natural environments, to create astonishing destinations complementary to the precious habitat we are fortunate to manage. We are focused on landscape-level projects to Scale Conservation through habitat restoration, recovery, and creation. This produces a wonderful array of rare, precious, and often recovering landscapes that offer an incredible ensemble of wildlife: creating a magical combination for visitors to experience and enjoy.

2. Community: Positive Social Impact

The second pillar, community, relates to the socio-economic benefits of ecotourism. By creating unique accommodation and experiences we can welcome more people to often remote, rural locations and communities. In the process, we can create jobs and opportunities which support and enhance local economies. ?Successful ecotourism enterprises ensure that the communities living in and around our Estates are stakeholders in conservation efforts, and the growing business that works to improve and protect these environments. This approach not only supports rural communities but also fosters a sense of ownership and responsibility towards environmental conservation.

3. Experience: Creating Advocates through Adventure

We believe that to love and protect the environment you have to experience it. And in experiencing nature first-hand, whether it’s the Highlands of Scotland, the dark skies of the Scottish borders, the incredible coast of west Wales or the magical rainforests of Dartmoor, we can begin to understand it better.

Seeing, hearing, smelling, and touching these incredible environments is the best education of all. Education in this sense is about more than just imparting knowledge; it's about transforming visitors into informed advocates for the environment. Our intention is to raise awareness about environmental challenges and opportunities and promote sustainable practices. Education in ecotourism fosters a deeper understanding and appreciation of nature, leading to more responsible behaviour among guests and locals alike.

Oxygen Conservation’s Approach

In the same way that we have redefined what is possible in conservation, we’re committed to achieving the same thing in ecotourism through the creation of Oxygen Escapes. By elevating ecotourism and integrating unique accommodation into spectacular landscapes we hope to offer a blend of authenticity, sustainability, and comfort that will redefine what it means to travel responsibly and maybe one day even regeneratively (we all missed the opportunity for sustainability to be enough).

Environment & Adventure

Adding to the excitement of Oxygen Escapes, we are committed to integrating outdoor adventures alongside conservation initiatives. Adventure-seekers can indulge in fell running, hill walking, e-biking, wild swimming, bouldering, kayaking, and paddle boarding, all designed to maximise engagement with nature while minimising environmental impact. These activities not only provide excitement but are also imbued with educational elements, enhancing visitors’ awareness and appreciation of the natural environment. This blend of excitement and environment (ecology, topography, geology, and hydrology) further establishes our role in transforming ecotourism into an attractive, sustainable, and adventurous experience.

Sustainable Facilities and Comfort

We aspire to create accommodation, facilities and experiences that are a testament to how sustainability and comfort can coexist. ?Our accommodation is designed with both aesthetics and environmental authenticity in mind. Often delivered through the restoration and conservation of redundant and / or derelict buildings we seek to repurpose as much of the existing structures as possible: embracing circular economic principles as far as is economically viable to do so.

Where we offer wonderful glamping experiences by combining sensitively located and specialist-sourced facilities, furniture, fixtures and fittings.

Across all our ecotourism offerings we aim to ensure that all operational details and practices, from cleaning supplies to energy provision, are as environmentally friendly as possible. For example, using solar energy, providing guests with our own carefully selected firewood, and incorporating re-fillable supplies where possible. We have by no means solved all the challenges, but we’re committed to iteration and evolution, making our accommodation, facilities, and experience less impactful on the natural environment every day.

Premium Services & Experiences

We are committed to offering wonderful experiences and delivering this through the attention to detail, kindness, and consideration we show all our guests and visitors. Locally sourced, organic ingredients cooked by wonderfully skilled local experts combine with exclusive, ecology-focused tours which provide a unique experience without compromising environmental ethics.

Aspirational Ecotourism & Reducing the Carbon Footprint of Adventure

By providing exceptional experiences to a limited number of visitors (too many people will always put pressure on the natural environment) we are committed to making ecotourism an aspirational choice. This is particularly impactful in the UK, where it can increasingly provide a compelling alternative to overseas holidays. It’s an approach that we hope will appeal to those seeking luxury foreign travel experiences but who are also increasingly conscious of their environmental impact. With Oxygen Conservation Escapes, we aspire to reduce the reliance on international travel, thereby decreasing the carbon footprint associated with holidays, adventures, and incredible experiences.

?Principles and Practices in Ecotourism

We are in the process of developing our ecotourism strategy, building on the learnings we’ve had since acquiring the beautiful holiday cottages at the Mornacott Estate and the award-winning Wild With Nature glamping experience at Manor Farm in Shropham. As we continue to refine our thinking, we’ve developed a set of guiding principles, ensuring a sustainable and positively impactful approach.

• Positive Environment Impact: We strive to deliver positive environmental impact through our work and through our ecotourism experiences and accommodation.
• Positive Social Impact: We work to ensure that visitors, local communities and the Oxygen team have positive, enriching experiences based on the environment and shared adventures.
• Positive Economic Impact: We believe in prioritising local products, services and employment, ensuring that the benefits of tourism are widely shared.
• Direct Financial Benefits for Conservation: The revenues generated support the conservation efforts on each Estate, helping us Scale Conservation and attracting additional investment into the natural capital economy.
• Educational Experiences & Adventures: We believe in offering educational experiences that raise sensitivity to various local (and global) issues, including environmental and social opportunities and challenges associated with our impact on the planet.
• Gentler Footprints: We are committed to developing sustainable infrastructure and practices, reducing the environmental footprint of our facilities and limiting the number of visitors such that we continually seek to balance and reduce our impact on the environment.

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Conclusion

We are not just participating in the ecotourism movement; we are committed to actively helping to scale authentic, conservation-based ecotourism. By integrating this authenticity with sustainability and comfort we hope to offer a new, attractive form of travel that appeals to an increasingly wider audience. We intend that this approach will not only transform how we experience natural environments but also how we contribute to their improvement, protection, and long-term preservation.

Please look out for our new Oxygen Escapes Website due to launch in Spring 2024 and please contact us at [email protected] if you’d like more information about The Mornacott Estate (Holiday Cottages) or Wild with Nature (Glamping) limited availability for 2024.

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