our natural environment

Otterton Mill sits in the heart of the Otter Valley, a stunningly beautiful stretch of countryside rich in wildlife. At the mill we have embarked upon a programme of work to help sustain this precious landscape, its flora and fauna.

The mill is already home to a number of declining bird species (we have a healthy population of house sparrows, grey wagtails, dippers and more common garden species such as robins and blackbirds - swallows also return annually to nest); the River Otter supports a wide selection of fish including eels, brown trout and flatfish - all seen regularly at the mill - and all of which provide food for resident otters and kingfishers.

Through a range of environmental projects, some supported by East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, we have been aiming to actively encourage even more wildlife to the mill. We support birds through the installation of nest boxes and bird feeding stations.  We also promote the growth of native plant species through planting schemes and careful land management. We will continue with a policy of keeping the land surrounding the mill insecticide free and support local food producers by using only seasonal vegetables and organic produce if available.

As our business grows and expands to new locations we have created an Environmental Policy which will be implemented in each location to ensure our environmentally friendly practices are consistently upheld.

Otterton Mill Environmental Policy

At Otterton Mill we strive to demonstrate through our 'natural food' philosophy, local sourcing, energy & waste management, and wildlife conservation practices, the virtues of acting with environmental responsibility.  We do this specifically by:

• Sourcing, creating and offering natural foods which are, as much as possible, produced ethically without the use or inclusion of chemicals
• Continuing to champion local produce, this in turn reduces our carbon footprint and helps the local economy
• Minimising the amount of waste we produce and find more suitable ways of dealing with it
• Recycling wherever practical and looking at the products we use to find green alternatives
• Ensuring that all chemicals used are environmentally and ethically sound
• Minimising the amount of energy and water we use by spreading environmental awareness to our staff and customers
• Ensuring all of our staff receive information, advice and training relevant to our environmental goals
• Working closely with our environmental partners, including the East Devon AONB, RSPB and Devon Wildlife Trust to improve our wildlife conservation and environmental practices
• Involving our staff, suppliers and customers in our mission to act with environmental responsibility
• Making our environmental policies as transparent as possible and to openly communicate our ideas to any interested parties