Guests grow tree conservation cash
£1 donation at hotel has resulted in £50k pot
Dunkeld House Hotel has raised more than £50,000 to help conserve Perthshire’s remarkable trees.
The luxury hotel on the banks of the River Tay in Dunkeld not only raised a fabulous sum to help tree conservation but also lends its grounds as a sanctuary to plant endangered species.
Dunkeld House Hotel is an important Perthshire Big Tree Country site. Its magnificent grounds are home to the Dunkeld House Tree Trail, which features dozens of unique and impressive heritage trees and over 30 stunning examples of other internationally threatened trees.
In recent years, guests have been asked to opt in to a £1 per night donation in support of Perthshire Big Tree Country. That tiny acorn administered by Perth and Kinross Countryside Trust (PKCT) has grown since 2012 into an impressive £50,000 pot.
The scheme allows hotels, B&Bs and businesses of all sizes across Perthshire to broaden their green credentials and help conserve Perthshire’s tree heritage.
Dunkeld House Hotel is also an active supporter of the Perthshire Conifer Conservation Programme, which works to conserve some of the world’s most threatened conifer species by planting their saplings in safe-havens across Perthshire’s gardens, woods and forests.
Arnold Schnegg, managing director of Dunkeld House Hotel, said: “The hotel appreciates all the effort and hard work that the Perth and Kinross Countryside Trust does for our beautiful area.
“Our tree history stems back to 1737 and 1830, when the Dukes of Atholl planted up to 27 million conifers at Dunkeld House Hotel.
“They also funded plant-hunting expeditions around the world.
“So, 284 years on, we still believe we must look after and maintain all the beautiful species of trees that we have on our 280-acre estate.
“However, we could not have done this without our wonderful guests.
To each guest who has contributed to the PKCT over the years, we would like to put out a massive thank you to every one of you.”
Other Perthshire members of the scheme currently include Crieff Hydro, Gleneagles, CLC Duchally Country Estate, Ballathie House Hotel and the Comrie Hotel.
To learn more about Perthshire Big Tree Country, visit www. perthshirebigtreecountry.co.uk or visit the online interactive map to watch the seasons change across the area http://map.pkct.org/.
Hotels, B&Bs and businesses wishing to also help support Perthshire Big Tree Country can get in touch with PKCT via the email peter.quinn@pkct.org