A GREEN-minded holiday home owner in the Dales has partnered with a top holiday cottage provider to allow holidaymakers the opportunity to encounter rare species at the nature barn she has built on site.

Local conservationist Fiona Clark, who owns Nethergill Farm, at Oughtershaw, near Hawes, is giving guests the chance to spot rare breeds of birds and mammals at the nature barn, which sits in 400 acres of land. A charging point for electric cars has also been installed to further encourage an even greener holiday.

Now she has gone into partnership with holiday provider cottages.com.

“We chose to work with cottages.com as they are both dedicated to and supportive of our conservation work, making them our partner of choice. The regional team are always on hand to offer valuable advice and expertise, and we really appreciate the personal service that has been provided.”

Julie Winder, Regional Sales Director for Yorkshire, said: “At cottages.com, we have a dedicated Green Scheme collection, which consists of thousands of holiday cottages that promote an eco-friendly holiday experience. Fiona is a great ambassador and her passion is infectious.

"It’s great to see her encouraging others to enjoy and protect the environment, as well as educating the younger generation on the importance of conservation. Her work will not only benefit the local community, but also the guests for many years to come.”

Helping the local eco-system to thrive, Fiona has overseen the planting of 30,000 trees around the property, and successfully managed to bring endangered red squirrels and black grouse back to the area.

The property owner also plays an active role in the local community, designing her own information boards about the wildlife and welcoming walkers and local school children to the barn to educate them on the importance of protecting the environment.

Fiona said: “I’ve always had a passion for nature, and I like to share that with guests of Nethergill Farm as well as the wider community.

"The property is surrounded by acres of moorland and sits at the head of the River Wharfe, making it a true haven for wildlife. Guests can take advantage of the maps and information available at the river and fell observation hides, and get closer to nature.”

The barn, built from stone in 1871, has been recognised for its outstanding commitment to sustainability by being awarded a Green Tourism Gold Award.

The Yorkshire Dales National Park regularly hosts meetings at the barn and Fiona is currently working alongside the Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust, and others in the local community, on a flood mitigation project to help preserve the moorland for years to come.