The Environment
Our family has been actively dedicated to the field of environmental campaigning in Scotland, on a range of fronts, for nearly 40 years. Developing, demonstrating and promoting environmental awareness are fundamental precepts that all our family and family organisations embody.
Sections of Leckmelm Wood have been set aside for long term rewilding, and will not be felled, cleared or used for other human focused activities. Ecotone Cabins supports this activity by providing additional financial resources to Leckmelm Wood. In the future this will enable us to support and assist the rewilding process with more proactive management, such as controlling invasive non native species and regulating grazing pressure.
Ecotone Cabins are designed, built and run to minimise negative impacts on the living world. The cabins were built using local sustainable timber, sheep wool & wood fibre insulation, renewable heating systems, and a domestic waste treatment plant. We equip them with low impact consumable products and refillable ecological bathroom and cleaning products. We have full and comprehensive waste sorting and recycling, including the collection of compostable waste that is processed on site at Croft No. 1. We adopt Circular Economy principles wherever possible and reusable materials are generally upcycled at the West Edge. Leckmelm Wood gets its electricity from a 100% renewable energy contract. Purchasing for Ecotone Cabins prioritises local provenance, and reducing negative ethical & environmental impact. The immediate grounds around the cabins are being developed into a forest garden that encourages human engagement with the natural environment, while providing a rich habitat for a range of plants and wildlife. We are currently undergoing a Green Tourism Assessment and we optimistically anticipate that we should achieve a very high rating.
We offer our guests the option for guided ecology walks, where they can learn about the local environment and gain a deeper understanding of how anthropogenic forces have shaped the Highland ecology and landscape. These walks are led by Bernard Planterose, a qualified ecologist with over 45 years experience in the field.