Celebrity Cruises has collaborated with Galapagos National Park to plant more than 30,000 trees on Santa Cruz Island, in Los Gemelos, with the aim of conserving the pristine archipelago that is home to flora and fauna unique to any other destination in the world.
With the goal of inspiring guests and collaborators to contribute to the reforestation efforts in the Galapagos, the public private partnership (PPP) signed in 2014 was made possible with the support of 14,300 guests, crew and the wider community, far exceeding goals by 150 percent. This reinforces Celebrity Cruises’ commitment to the region and the shared passion of guests onboard.
“We want to help ensure future generations have the same incredible Galapagos experience with our industry-leading stewardship and conservation efforts” said Bernardo Carrillo, managing director, Celebrity Cruises. “Our valued guests and employees cherish the unique opportunity to be involved with important programmes such as tree planting, which gives them direct contact with nature in this pristine UNESCO World Heritage Site. We are dedicated to opening up the world and that includes our commitment to supporting programmes dedicated to environmental conservation.”
Read also Marissa Carruthers’ piece on the Cardamom Tented Camps conservation project in the Cambodian jungle.
Scalesias, Cat’s Claw, Galapagos Miconia and the Thin-leafed Darwin’s shrub were among the 30,000 seeds sown on Santa Cruz Island.
The natural ecosystem in the Galapagos is preserved through reforestation and regenerates areas that have been affected by humans and introduced species. The Scalesias tree remains the most planted tree, as their forests are home to many species of endemic bird native to the Galapagos.
As a result of the work carried out by Galapagos National Park and other collaborative projects with Celebrity Cruises, ecosystems are being restored. All activities are coordinated by the Galapagos National Park, an organisation that provides all its technical and logistical support.
