Review of Environmental Good Policy and Practice in the Tourism Industry
Ard Nahoo is an Eco Retreat, settled in the unspoilt beauty of the North Leitrim Glens. The website invites the visitor to: "Relax within our grounds during your stay and enjoy sessions in our Uisce Area, with outdoor sauna and hot tub, yoga classes, holistic treatments, organic food and a utopia of calm. Or use Ard Nahoo as your base and explore what the local area has to offer, with hiking, surfing, horseriding, kayaking, caving and much more all a short distance from us".
Ard Nahoo's aim is to work in harmony with the environment and operate a reduce, reuse and recycle policy. The yoga studio and eco cabins are heated with a wood burning stove. Energy saving bulbs are used throughout and electricity is supplied by a wind energy company. Guests who have flown in have an opportunity to plant a tree to offset their carbon footprint. All waste is recycled and composted as far as possible and only eco friendly detergents and disinfectants are used on site. Vegetables are delivered through a local box scheme and food is bought in bulk to avoid plastic packaging. The accommodation has been certified to EU Ecolabel Standard (The EU Flower Standard).
This retreat has also been certified according to the Greenbox Ecotourism Label Standard which means that all the key elements of ecotourism are met as part of the experience.
Ard Nahoo actively contributes to the conservation of the natural environment. The retreat organises Dawn Chorus mornings which are open to the public. A percentage of the cost of the ecotourism experiences goes towards the following conservation bodies- Birdwatch Ireland, CRANN and The Irish Seed Savers Association. Ard Nahoo has created a wildlife pond and has planted over two hundred endangered and native species of trees. Bird feeders, nesters and bat boxes have also been placed around the site. A large colony of badgers are living on the grounds alongside hares, foxes and other smaller animals.
Catherine Mack also included us as a case study in her excellent book 'Ecoescapes Ireland'. Read her study here.
What They're Saying
One of the Top Ten Retreats Worldwide ~ The Guardian
Perfect for 'Corporate Calm' ~ The Times (UK)
Runner Up ~ Leitrim Enterprise Awards
Best Website ~ Greenbox Awards
