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We know that you careIt's challenging when we wish to enjoy the various beautiful natural spaces that the world has to offer, to do so without creating further environmental degradation. As we know that self-guided walker's are particularly concerned about preserving the landscapes they so appreciate, we offer this information to help you soften your impact on the environment.
We also want to assure you that by using Holistic Management® as a
decision-making framework that we are always working towards greater
and greater environmental sustainability in the management of The
Lodge and Semilla Besada.
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TravelWhen we read statistics such as a Jumbo Jet discharges 6 tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atomosphere over an 8km distance, it's frightening to think of the environmental impact we have when travelling to southern Spain. We were certainly concerned when we wanted to offer self-guided walking holidays in this area.The amount of carbon in the earth's atmosphere traps the sun's heat, causing temperatures to rise with repercussions for all of life on this planet. It is plants that neutralise the effect of carbon in our atmosphere through a process known as sequestration. Carbon offsets have recently become popular as a means of compensating for our carbon production. We support wholeheartedly the following statement by Adam Ma'anit, the co-editor of the Magazine New Internationalist. "Offsets do provide that easy way out of our ethical quandries, but ultimately we came to the conclusion that it is far more ethical to just come clean and admit that we are responsible for some emissions, try to reduce them as much as we can, but also not try to pretend that somehow they will go away if we buy some offsets. That doesn't preclude us from investing in our local windfarm co-op, but it does mean we shouldn't delude ourselves into thinking that that makes up for our emissions elsewhere".If you wish to view a relevent article published by the New Internationalist Magazine please click here.
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Landscape above The Lodge
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Local area ecosystemThis area is what is known as a brittle landscape and typifies 70% of the world’s landmass. As a result of a number of factors, including inappropriate land management, such landscapes are desertifying at a staggering 400,000 acres (161,880 hectares) a day. Holistic Management® specifically addresses this problem and informs all the decisions we make in the management of the land at Semilla Besada.Semilla Besada registers about 7 on the brittleness scale, meaning that it has low year-round humidity, with 6 months of drought a year. Over the centuries inappropriate management and the loss of an active farming tradition has resulted in a fragile, bushfire-prone environment. The landscape at this height is what is described as maquis/garigue land, and is characterised by the presence of Holm Oaks and aromatic perennials, such as Lavender, Thyme and Cistus. Our attention is focused on enhancing the function of the ecosystem processes (the ability of the land to cycle rain and nutrients, sustain diversity of species and generate plant life to cover bare ground) but this can only work in partnership with our guests, and so we would ask that you:
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Acequia Encinillas
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WaterDuring the summer drought, we are able to bring water down from the river along the 6km of open channel, or acequia, using exactly the same system that the Moors created in the 11th century. Drought, however, means water shortages. Whereas we do all we can to ensure that our spring runs throughout the summer through our land management protocols, we ask you to minimise your water usage, whether for washing or toilet use. If you wish, you can mitigate your effect further by using the composting toilet facilities provided at Semilla Besada.We are all drinking bottled water nowadays as town drinking water becomes less and less palatable and the health-giving properties of mineral waters are promoted worldwide. Lanjarón is known for its healing waters. However, the French multi-national, Danone pumps out 2 million litres of water a day from the Sierra Nevada mountains to supply their bottling plant, Aguas Lanjarón. Unfortunately, there is no environmentally sustainable policy in force. Checking company policy before buying bottled water is a valuable practice.
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Body Care ProductsAs all grey-water at Semilla Besada is recycled for irrigation purposes, we use body care and cleaning products that are created from natural products and are biodegradable. This means that the the soil micobiology can be preserved and the ability of the soil to cycle nutrients remains intact. We supply you with these products throughout your stay at The Lodge. If you would like to continue with this practice back home we suggest you look at Ecover for household cleaning products and Faith in Nature for body-care products.
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Recycling We provide a bin for guests for all waste from
food preparation which can be composted at Semilla Besada and
then used in our vegetable growing areas. There are also bins for
the recycling of bottles, plastic and tins. Where possible we
suggest that guests buy products that do not generate waste that
cannot be composted or recycled.
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