Sandals Foundation targets planting 10,000 trees by June 2022
Sandals Foundation will today continue its quest to plant 10,000 trees by June 2022, intensifying its Caribbean conservation efforts as the world observes Earth Day.
The effort forms part of a wider Caribbean tree- planting project coordinated by Caribbean Philanthropic Alliance in collaboration with Trees That Feed Foundation, the Clinton Global Initiative, and other partners, to plant one million trees across 14 Caribbean countries by June next year.
Through the efforts of environmental partners in each of the seven countries in which it currently operates, Sandals Foundation will coordinate the planting of fruit trees, timber and mangroves to protect the terrestrial and coastal zones of the islands.
“Never before has it been more important to reinvest in the sustainability of our natural environment,” a release from Sandals Foundation quotes its Executive Director Heidi Clarke. “Our tourism product as a region, and the livelihoods of all Caribbean people are intricately linked to the health of the environment. It is therefore our duty to play our part to strengthen this amazing ecosystem.”
In 2019 the leadership of Caribbean Philanthropic Alliance recognised the need to accelerate specific activities to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
This intensified tree-planting mission, while taking on a more controlled approach in line with national COVID-19 protocols, will undoubtedly strengthen the region’s climate resilience as it empowers even more people to take action in line with this year’s Earth Day theme to ‘Restore Our Earth’, the foundation said.
Over the last 12 years, Sandals Foundation has engaged local schools, community groups, partners, team members, travel agents, and guests to plant more than 17,000 trees across the Caribbean.