Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) can sound like a technical planning term, but on the ground it’s much simpler: it means actively improving the land so it is left in a measurably better state for nature, year on year.
At Mornacott Estate, this work is already underway. Set on the edge of Exmoor, our holiday cottages sit within a landscape being actively restored. We are improving ancient woodland structure, reinforcing miles of hedgerow, and carefully stripping nutrients from fields to bring back species-rich wildflower grassland. Along the Molland Yeo we are enhancing river flow through targeted ripple improvements, supporting healthier aquatic habitats and biodiversity.
This kind of active habitat restoration is what generates Biodiversity Net Gain units, helping to fund long-term nature recovery across the estate.
What many guests don’t realise is that a stay here is part of that story.
Choosing a holiday at Mornacott directly supports a way of managing land that reinvests into nature. Income from our holiday cottages helps fund woodland management, native planting, conservation grazing, and river restoration. It’s what makes a sustainable holiday in Devon something tangible — contributing to real environmental improvement, not just experiencing it.
There are small things that matter during a stay too — and they’re easy to do. Walking on established paths helps protect regenerating ground cover and sensitive habitats. Keeping dogs under control near meadows and riverbanks supports ground-nesting birds and allows grazing animals to move and feed naturally within the landscape.
Guests can also take a piece of Mornacott home with them. Our organic beef is raised on the estate, where cattle play an active role in conservation grazing — shaping the grassland habitats that underpin our Biodiversity Net Gain work. Buying direct supports the farm, the landscape, and the wider system that makes this place what it is.
Over time, the results become visible. We’re already seeing it at Mornacott. Wildflower recovery is bringing pollinators back through the summer months. Healthier woodland structure is creating richer, more varied walks. A restored river corridor is supporting species such as dippers, kingfishers, and otters along its banks.
Guests often notice these moments before they notice the work behind them — a managed population of native deer on the hill at dusk, birdsong at first light, or the meadow shifting in colour through the weeks. The hum of insects in the orchard on a warm afternoon.
These are the everyday signs of a landscape in recovery — and something guests help support simply by choosing to stay in our luxury eco cottages in Exmoor.
At Mornacott, looking after the land and welcoming guests aren’t separate things. They grow together.
Written by Laura Hartshorn