Ritz-Carlton Maldiverna, Fariöarna firar 2023 års höjdpunkter för havsbevarande

Forming part of the coveted Fari Islands’ lifestyle concept, Ritz-Carlton Maldiverna, Fari Islands has been championing environmental education since its opening in 2021. A destination that’s fast become an iconic addition to the Indian Ocean, is also home to a hub of innovation when it comes to environmental conservation. The resort steps lightly in to 2024 celebrating its continued dedication to the protection of our natural world.

‘Eye in the Sky’ Drone Technology

Med naturforskare i spetsen och ett progressivt forskarsamhälle, Ritz-Carlton Maldiverna, Fariöarna’ sophisticated ocean plastics’ monitoring program works to conserve one of the world’s most fragile ecosystems with the use of drones. In partnership with British PhD researcher Melissa Schiele, drone technology has been developed and deployed in and around the atoll to better understand the location and movement of ocean plastics, including discarded fishing nets (ghost nets). With immediate impact resort teams are able to locate and remove otherwise hard to find debris identified by drones.

In 2023 the resort’s naturalist team and dive network removed 19 ghost nets with an estimated weight of 1100kg. These ghost nets travel in to the east Indian Ocean via strong ocean winds and currents experienced in the region from mid-December. In 2023, the resort successfully rescued five olive ridley sea turtles found entangled in abandoned nets. Two turtles were released immediately, with three rehabilitated by the Olive Ridley Project’s veterinary team at the Marine Turtle Rescue Centre in Baa Atoll, before a successful reintroduction to the ocean. A rehabilitated turtle named ‘Muraka’, released on the 16th of August 2023, was fitted with a GPS tracking device to allow guests and followers to trace her journey.

Sedan anläggningen öppnade har anläggningen uppnått 751 drönarflygningar som hjälper till med kritisk forskning om plastaggregation, placering av spöknät och fortlöpande övervakning av vilda djur. I ett första i sitt slag bildinsamling och databearbetningsprojekt drogs imponerande data från drönarinitiativet fram för samarbetsbruk för att informera, utbilda och driva positiv förändring på lång sikt. Över 21 havsarter observerades 2023, från den utsmyckade örnstrålen, svartspetsrevhajen till melonvalen.

Jean-Michel Cousteau Ambassadors of the Environment-programmet

Home to the Maldives’ first Jean-Michel Cousteau Ambassadors of the Environment programme, The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands continues to collaborate with the world-renowned oceanographic explorer and environmentalist to provide guest experiences with preservation of the planet at its core. In 2023 the program planted 40 coral frames as part of its coral regeneration initiative, using coral frags from the Pocillapora (Cauliflower corals) and the Acropora (Table coral). 25 of these abundant nursery frames, and successful new habitats for ocean life, can be seen by guests in the shallow waters of the resort’s welcome jetty on arrival.

Anläggningen kommer att välkomna Jean-Michel Cousteau 2024 från 8 till 18 april. Ett inspirerat pedagogiskt residens kommer att innehålla exklusiva gästupplevelser och frågor och svar med den legendariska upptäcktsresanden.

Samhällets fotspår

As part of its Community Footprints’ programming, and with focus on environmental awareness for the planet’s future generations, the resort’s relationships with local schools enable visits with its naturalist teams to share research and educate. In 2023 five educational excursions to local islands took place including schools in Dhiffushi and Gaafaru. The visits took a deep dive in to ocean conservation, from the environmental impact of ocean plastics, insights from the resort community’s drone research and shared observations of wildlife in the surrounding atoll. Presentations of ground-breaking research from the resort’s ‘Visiting Heroes’ programme included the work of renowned shark scientist Gibbs Kuguru and his conservation work tagging Blacktip Reef Sharks.

Närmare hemmet var resorten stolta över att delta i tio globala miljöträffar. Pedagogiska och inspirerade aktiviteter arbetade för att öka medvetenheten kring viktiga kalenderdatum inklusive; World Shark Day, World Dolphin Day, Ocean Clean Up Day och Earth Day. Som en fortsättning på Community Footprints-programmet bjöd 11 strandsanering in gäster för att stödja insamling av havsskräp på resortens stränder och de lokala öarna Dhiffushi och Gaafaru.

Skapa en hållbar miljö för framtiden

Anläggningen fortsätter att öka sitt engagemang för hållbara metoder i sin dagliga verksamhet, från att öka sin produktion av förnybar energi via sin solenergiinfrastruktur, rening av stillastående och glittrande dricksvatten vid sin dedikerade anläggning, behandling av gråvatten för landskapsarkitektur, och ett robust komposteringsprogram för dagligt matsvinn.
With a considered approach to luxury living, guests can expect to use reusable glass water bottles, bamboo-based personal consumables, refillable jars of amenities, and bamboo and stainless-steel straws. Organic Bamford amenities, with shared sensibilities of living consciously and in harmony with nature, are replenished on-site, while the resort’s desalination plant reduces the amount of plastic imported into the country.

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