Green goal 1: Stimulate biodiversity in our parks and their surroundings
Protecting nature is one thing, but Center Parcs goes one step further and makes sure that nature runs its own course. Hence the great diversity of flora and fauna in all of our parks. At the end of the day, this benefits both mankind, in general, and our guests, in particular.
No threatened fish species are included on our menus.
Green deeds:
- Eating fish is healthy. But the survival of many fish species is threatened by over-fishing or being accidentally caught up in fishermen's nets, like tuna. Center Parcs aims to set an example by making a concrete contribution towards the protection of the extraordinary underwater world. That's why, since 1 February 2008, no fish species from the red column of the WWF's fish guide are included on our menus. Thankfully, that still leaves us plenty to choose from!
We adopt homeless animals.
Green deeds:
- The Market Dome is designed to make you feel like you're in a tropical paradise, with all its exotic plants and animals. But there's a story behind this. All of our birds, including the flamingos, parrots and cranes, were adopted from the Dutch Centre for Impounded Birds. They were impounded after being illegally imported and it was not possible to send them back to their native countries. A group of racoons adopted from the Foundation for Exotic Animals has also found a new shelter in De Huttenheugte.
We select our tropical plants with the utmost care.
Green deeds:
- Center Parcs imports tropical plants and trees itself; from orchids and palms to citrus and banana trees. These special examples, which you won't find for sale in any nurseries, are sourced from city development areas in tropical locations, which have been designated for building projects by the local authorities.
- Center Parcs' environmental specialists trek into the jungle themselves, in order to remove the trees carefully. They only select examples of which there are several dozen in the surrounding area, thus ensuring the survival of the species. Center Parcs never sources plants or trees from nature reserves or protected regions.
- Transportation of trees and plants from the tropics is handled with the utmost care. During the sea voyage, the trees are placed in a state of suspended animation, through a self-developed technique. The stream of food from the roots to the leaves is completely suspended for the duration of the voyage (approximately four weeks).
We practice natural pest control.
Green deeds:
- Center Parcs uses no chemicals whatsoever for pest control. Greenfly, mites and other parasites are combated through the use of natural enemies, such as ladybirds and wasps. And thanks to bats, our guests are not unduly bothered by mosquitoes and their buzzing.
We maintain the best possible quality of water.
Green deeds:
- Almost all of our parks contain around 30 hectares of lakes, streams and dikes. These are often created as a by-product of digging work during the building of the parks. Bio-organisms, such as pondweed and algae are placed in the water, and marsh plants are planted on the banks. These water features have now become highly valued ecosystems, for which Center Parcs has developed a sustainable policy.
- In De Vossemeren, we have added around 80,000 kilos of fossilised sea remnants (chalk) to the sterile water, in order to create a self-sustaining natural system.
- Water of the highest quality is regularly transplanted from one park to another, in order to maintain the same quality level throughout all of our parks. As a result, several of our ponds, which were originally artificial, have become staging posts for thousands of migrating birds.
- De Kempervennen has become a refuge for the otter; a freshwater animal which is very sensitive to water quality. In eight years, more than a dozen young otters have been born there.
- At a number of parks, waste water is reclaimed through the use of so-called 'reed fields'.
- We employ separate systems for rainwater and waste water.
- In 1984, the Center Parcs biologist placed a 20-centimetre catfish in the lake at De Kempervennen. In the meantime, Big Mama has grown into a giant fish, two metres long and weighing around 190 kilos!
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