I am about to start work on a new permaculture design project, and it has got me thinking about camping and glamping sites in general. Offering sustainable accommodation on your property is one other way to diversify your income streams and make money from your land. A well designed site is not just an opportunity to welcome paying visitors, however. It is also a great opportunity for permaculture in action.
The yields we talk about in general in permaculture are most often food related. And a camping location can provide an edible yield in addition to providing other functions. Fruit trees, fruiting shrubs and many other edible plants can be dotted around the landscape, serving multiple functions and, for example, shielding a site from a road, or screening one camping site from the next.
But more than this, a well designed site for visitors to stay on can also increase biodiversity, and attracting beneficial wildlife won’t just be a general good. It will also be a unique selling point for your business – diverse plant and animal life draws people in. What is good in ecological terms can also be good for business. Wildflower meadows or woodland glades are far more abundant, diverse and attractive – and also far more pleasant places to stay.
Of course there are plenty of other things to think about when it comes to setting up a sustainable accommodation business on your property – materials and construction, water, sanitation, power etc.. But one oft overlooked element is landscaping and planting. A permaculture design for your property could complete the picture, giving a holistic view and allowing you to create a site you can be proud of.
If you are interested in creating a camping or glamping area on your property, please get in touch so we can discuss your requirements and I would be glad to quote for a design.
EWSP Consultancy 