As part of CEOCO’s commitment to the company’s sustainability programme CEOCO has decided to investigate projects which promote / enhance biodiversity. Why biodiversity? A healthy biodiversity provides a number of natural services for everyone:
Ecosystem services, such as:
- Protection of water resources
- Soils formation and protection
- Nutrient storage and recycling
- Pollution breakdown and absorption
- Contribution to climate stability
Biological resources, such as:
- Food
- Medicinal resources and pharmaceutical drugs
- Wood products
- Ornamental plants
- Breeding stocks
- Future resources
Social benefits, such as:
- Research, education and monitoring
- Recreation and tourism
- Cultural values
- That is quite a lot of services we get for free!
- The cost of replacing these (if possible) would be extremely expensive. It therefore makes economic and development sense to move towards sustainability. CEOCO has identified a project which Sondela has embarked on. The project will focus on the development of an Indigenous Plant Nursery.
This Nursery will serve a triple purpose:
- To provide the Reserve with Indigenous trees that can be introduced into the area
- To provide vegetables & herbs for the resort’s kitchen to use and
- As an educational tool, for the second & first year conservation students as part of their learning experience on Sondela Nature Reserve.
- CEOCO is proud to be part of this initiative in which to further biodiversity in the area and provide for education on this important matter.