PROVIDENCIALES, Turks & Caicos Islands, April 26, 2023—With an increased need for investment to strengthen the Caribbean’s food security, the Sandals Foundation galvanized the support of hundreds of its ambassadors and Sandals and Beaches Resorts guests across eight islands to celebrate Earth Day by planting over 900 food-bearing trees in a single day. The large-scale tree planting event formed part of the organisation’s ‘Trees for Life’ campaign and contributed to the charitable arm’s year-long mission of regional food security, which aims to keep local produce in schools and communities.
Heidi Clarke, Executive Director of the Sandals Foundation, weighed in on the importance of the Earth Day campaign.
“Sustainably increasing food and agricultural production is critical to ensuring the presence of fresh local foods for our Caribbean families for years to come. The Trees for Life campaign represents our continued pledge to environmental protection as a company, while empowering Caribbean communities with the tools and natural resources to meet their nutritional needs.”
In the northern Caribbean archipelago of The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands, Sandals Foundation ambassadors along with guests planted 50 fruit trees at the Stuart Manor Primary and Forest Primary Schools in Exuma and 50 yellow alders—ornamental trees—at Enid Capron Primary, Ianthe Pratt Primary, Thelma Lightbourne Primary, Oseta Jolly Primary, Clement Howell High, and Maranatha Academy in Providenciales. Through the Foundation’s continued engagement of the students in lessons surrounding agriculture and composting, they will continue their rich tradition of promoting environmental education among young people, thereby preparing the next generation of environment stewards and food producers.
James McAnally, General Manager shared, “being able to partner with the schools and the communities in helping to improve the environmental benefits of the islands through planting these trees works for the benefit of everyone. The Sandals Foundation team ensured that the children were able to help in experiencing the need for these plants and the long term benefits that it will have for them.”
Now, with more than 900 steps forward across Jamaica, Antigua, Curacao, Barbados, Turks and Caicos Islands, The Bahamas, Saint Lucia and Grenada, the ‘Trees for Life’ campaign builds on the tree planting milestones of years past. In 2021, the Sandals Foundation ambitiously pledged to plant 10,000 trees throughout the Caribbean, not only quickly achieving that goal, but expanding on it by an additional 10,000 trees in 2022. With this incredible start to the year through the Earth Day ‘Trees for Life’ campaign, the philanthropic arm of Sandals Resorts International is solidifying its mandate in strengthening food security in the region.
With a mixture of fruit, forest, and ornamental seedlings purchased from local forestry departments and nurseries, the planted seedlings are expected to blossom in a span of two years, providing food resources for surrounding students and families.
“Sandals Foundation and our parent company, Sandals Resorts International, are using the power of tourism to plan for a secure future and we are committed to providing the skills and tools needed to create resilient food supply systems and food forests in local schools and communities to ensure access to sustainable and nutritious meals,” said Orville Morgan Public Relations Manager at Beaches Turks and Caicos and Sandals Foundation ambassador.
Persons wishing to support the tree planting efforts can visit the Sandals Foundation website at www.sandalsfoundation.org and donate to the ‘Trees for Life’. One hundred percent of all funds donated will be directed towards purchasing seedlings and maintaining the plant sites to ensure tree survival.