WITH birds of prey swooping, butterflies fluttering and rabbits hopping, it is no surprise that a Witney holiday park has winged its way to an environmental prize.

Nicola and Nick Hunt’s philosophy for Hardwick Parks, in Downs Road, Standlake, is simple – let visitors enjoy the countryside as it should be.

This means ample recycling bins, bird and bat boxes atop trees and sanctuary islands for otters and other wildlife.

The couple’s 20 years of work helping to protect the natural world has been recognised with a David Bellamy Conservation Award.

Mrs Hunt, 48, said: “We do whatever we can do in a simple way to try to make sure our impact on the environment is minimalist and preferably improved.”

Set in 180 acres of countryside, the park was described by Professor Bellamy as a “wildlife wonderland”.

The couple – who live five minutes away in Standlake with their two children Christopher, 17, and Andrew, 14 – have planted 15,000 indigenous trees and shrubs in the park to create a natural haven for deer, wild fowl, woodpeckers, birds of prey and many other species.

Two lakes are also a major attraction for birdlife as well as dragonflies and other aquatic creatures.

Mrs Hunt said: “What we are providing is a safe haven for the wildlife that we co-exist with.

“It’s all part and parcel really, even though we are a big park and we have a lot of people here, especially with our water sports.”

The couple moved from Bristol to the park in 1990.

It was Mrs Hunt’s dream since both her brothers, David and Anthony Hardick, successfully managed their own parks, and Mr Hunt, a marine engineer, was happy for a change of career.

Mr Hunt, 54, said: “It was the obvious thing to do as we had the expertise at hand.

“It was very run-down when we decided to take it on but it has really evolved over the years.”

Mrs Hunt added: “We lived on site when we first arrived and that gave us a good insight into the environment we were living in and working in.

“Because we are quite country people we decided that we saw a wonderful plot to play with but we had to make sure what we did wasn’t to the detriment of the environment we were making a living from – those two things had to go hand in hand.

“We wanted to make sure people saw the countryside as it should be. It needed to be as close to reality as it could be – that’s why we have been very careful how we manage the park. We try to keep it as much in its natural state, while providing the facilities that people want.”

Guest facilities at Hardwick Parks include holiday homes, more than 140 privately-owned caravans and 200 pitches for touring caravans, motorhomes and tents.

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