Project - Investing in Nature
Partners - Local Businesses in North Devon

Bulworthy Porject - local food in a beautiful woodland setting.

North Devon's UNESCO Biosphere Reserve is an important accolade for the area and it is important that local businesses benefit. Biosphere Reserves in Germany and Switzerland have developed accreditation schemes for businesses in their areas and participating businesses have generally increased their turnover (up to 50% in the Rhon Valley in Germany and 3% year on year in Entlebuch, Switzerland).

North Devon's Biosphere Reserve has developed a simple accreditation scheme for local businesses as part of its Investing in Nature programme. It helps businesses on their journey to become more sustainable and provides a branding link to the Biosphere Reserve. It is designed to:

• Include a range of businesses from varying sectors including accommodation, catering, food producers and retailers, fishing, farming and creative industries.

• Generate and demonstrate economic, social and environmental gain from the businesses' association with the Biosphere Reserve.

• Keep things simple with the minimum of beaurocracy and administration

• Support Local businesses on their journey to improve their sustainability (and their bottom line) and to provide networking opportunities for local businesses.

• Strengthen the local economy by encouraging an ethos of localism - keeping money circulating within the local economy.

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Sign up for the Investing in Nature scheme

Businesses gaining an award receive:
Use of the Invest in Nature logo on all marketing and branding 
Promotion through the North Devon Biosphere Reserve website
Access to the Invest in Nature networking community that aims to encourage trade and communication between businesses, contributing towards improving the local economy

Businesses based in the Biosphere reserve sign up to the Invest in Nature charter. 
They receive free information and guidance to help them make a real and recognisable contribution to the Charter's seven principles. 
This is the first step to setting your business on the path to a more sustainable future.

ISO 14001 accreditation. Businesses receive free consultation advice to help them through the accreditation process

ISO 14001 specifies the actual requirements for an environmental management system. It applies to those environmental aspects over which the organization has control or can be expected to have an influence. Attainment is certified by an external certification authority.

A Socially, environmentally and economically sustainable approach (triple bottom line accounting) towards doing business along with achieving carbon sequestration.

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Businesses Investing in Nature

• Devon Glamping. Eco-friendly glamping across Devon
  
• Westside Warehouse Books.  Publishers of the Tarka Trail Guide
• Source Renewable Ltd. Renewable energy advisor and installer
  
• Wheatland Farm. Multi award winning eco-lodges near Winkleigh
• Station Masters Cafe. Award wining cafe at Barnstaple railway station
• Froot Loop. Smoothie and juice bar in Bideford
• Heritage Cob and Lime. Traditional building products 
• Nettelfields. Organic Veg Box Scheme
• Devon Woodcraft. Builder of timber structures using locally sourced, sustainable material
• The Small School Community Kitchen. Social enterprise providing catering for local events and the the farmer's market
• Courage Copse Creatives
  Courage Copse Creatives is a small woodland enterprise based in the
  Taw Valley, North Devon
• Yarde orchard cafe. Organic cafe and accomodation on the Tarka Trail
• The Bulworthy Project Low-impact living and working. Awarded Silver for their continued commitment to improving biodiversity and reducing the environmental impact of their business and their gold award status within the nationally recognised Devon Wildlife Trust business accreditation scheme.