19 October 2011
If you’re planning to visit the South West of England anytime soon and you are an adept of Eco Tourism, then you really should consider checking out the Eden Project in Cornwall. In fact, if you’re seriously interested in environmentally sound initiatives, this attraction may just be enough reason to justify travelling to the UK.
The Eden Project is widely regarded as the largest greenhouse complex in the world, and it doesn’t take long after arriving until you realize the title is indeed quite appropriate. Read through this article for a glimpse of what awaits you in this unique haven for eco tourists from all over the world.
What exactly is the Eden Project?
Conceived at the turn of the century and having taken nearly 3 years to materialize, the Eden Project fully opened to the public back in mid-2001, and since then it has served both as visitor attraction and on-going experiment in biodiversity. It is currently an agglomerate of huge greenhouses (the largest of which is almost 200 feet high) and educational facilities, spanning over 20 acres of land.
These gigantic greenhouses - which are called Biomes - serve a double purpose: to accommodate thousands of plant species that would otherwise not thrive in the region, and to provide an educational facility for anyone who wishes to learn about plants as well as people. This is the real ideological force behind this project: not only to grow diverse plant species, but especially to educate visitors on agricultural practices and ecological preservation.
What kind of people visits the Eden Project?
While the Eden Project facilities are visited by hundreds of thousands of curious tourists each year, this area is best regarded as a diverse cultural hub. Not only is it a great place to learn more about all kinds of plants (from standard gardening fare to exotic species), but it’s also a great place to relax and enjoy nature.
Moreover, there are regular artistic and cultural activities taking place in the area. For almost a decade, the so-called Eden Sessions have been widely known as a series of musical performances which regularly attract the most popular bands in the UK to the Eden Project. It is also quite common to find notable artistic exhibitions within the project grounds, which are ever expanding and growing.
What does the future hold for the world’s largest greenhouse?
The popularity and relevance of the Eden Project is likely to keep growing in the next few years, as well as its ecological significance. As of 2011, plans are underway to build a geothermal electricity plant in the vicinity of the project that will generate enough power to supply thousands of households in the region with green energy.
If you have never visited this unique experiment in eco-preservation, it’s about time you pack your bags and head out to old England. Even if you have been there in the past, you should consider getting back, since you’ll likely be surprised with how much the site has changed and grown. As far as ecological awareness goes, this is arguably one of the most interesting projects taking place in the UK.
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