Double Tree Resort by Hilton Fiji – Sonaisali Island brought together team members, resort guests and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) representatives for a morning of mangrove restoration, environmental education and conservation along the resort’s coastline to celebrate World Mangrove Day last Saturday (July 26).
As part of continued partnership between the Hilton Global Foundation (HGF) and the WWF, about 15 participants joined the initiative, learning firsthand the vital role mangroves play in protecting Fiji’s fragile coastal ecosystems before helping prepare a site for mangrove restoration and then re-planting approximately 200 mangrove seedlings as part of the resort’s ongoing efforts to engage guests and team members in environmental and community initiatives.
“The activity coincides with the HGF’s recent commitment of $US5.4million ($F12.16) to 18 nonprofit organisations globally – its largest annual investment to date – supporting initiatives that expand career opportunities, strengthen community resilience and help make the world a better place to travel,” the resort said in a statement.
“As Hilton’s global philanthropic arm, HGF supports programmes aligned with Travel with Purpose, Hilton’s strategy to drive positive impact and create lasting value for its people, hotels, communities and guests.”
HGF, it added, is supporting WWF’s mangrove restoration programme in Fiji, where it is working with iTaukei (Indigenous Fijian) communities to restore eight hecatres of mangroves across two sites within the Great Sea Reef — the Ba River Estuary and the Yasawa Islands.
“This was a wonderful opportunity to bring our guests and team members together to learn more about Fiji’s incredible natural environment while making a meaningful contribution,” general manager DoubleTree Resort by Hilton Fiji Shanaka Perera said.
“As an island resort, we recognise the responsibility we have to help protect the ecosystems that make Fiji so unique.
“Through initiatives supported by Hilton Global Foundation and WWF’s conservation efforts in Fiji, we’re proud to provide opportunities for our guests and team members to engage with and learn more about protecting these important ecosystems.”
Mangroves are among the world’s most valuable coastal ecosystems, providing natural protection against storm surges and coastal erosion, improving water quality, storing significant amounts of carbon and creating essential nursery habitats for fish, crabs and marine life. In Fiji, they also play an important role in supporting local livelihoods, preserving cultural traditions and strengthening climate resilience for coastal communities.
