Center Parcs Wins Top Environmental Award

    NEWARK, ENGLAND, September 24, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Center Parcs was the first organisation to be awarded The Wildlife Trust's Biodiversity Benchmark for all its sites. Following a rigorous audit at Center Parcs Whinfell Forest in Cumbria, the Biodiversity Benchmark was presented to Center Parcs in recognition for its continual efforts to protect and enhance the natural environment at its four holiday villages across the UK.

The pioneering Biodiversity Benchmark enables organisations across the country to assess the quality of their land management, improve their contribution to the environment and demonstrate their commitment to biodiversity. Similar to other standards for management systems, the Biodiversity Benchmark is composed of a set of detailed requirements which an organisation must be able to meet. Furthermore, it is the first truly recognised endorsement to acknowledge organisations who continually commit to biodiversity improvement.

Peter Bullard, Chief Executive, Cumbria Wildlife Trusts added: "Center Parcs is a shining example of wildlife conservation working well within the tourism and leisure sector. Their commitment to the environment, and in particular biodiversity, is exemplary and just goes to show what can be achieved when business and conservation work hand-in-hand. It proves that effective environmental stewardship of the land can help nature thrive - this does not happen by accident, it requires a great deal of commitment and hard work by Center Parcs and I hope that this award will encourage many more organisations to follow their lead."

Center Parcs is the leader in the UK short breaks holiday market and champions the way forward for the natural environment within the UK tourist and leisure industry. It's four across the UK feature a broad range of habitats including mixed woodland, lakes, waterways, wood pasture, heath, acid grassland and meadow.

There may be further recognition of Center Parcs' commitment to the protection and enhancement its natural habitats, following the companies short-listing in the 2009 Green Business Awards, 'The Green Globes', in the category for Biodiversity Protection. The awards will be presented at a special ceremony in London on 3rd November.

Fore more information, please visit: www.centerparcs.co.uk

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