Rhodes Reforestation
On board the Forest Ambassador initiative
We are deeply proud to be one of the sponsors who has undertaken the care of 100 acres of incinerated woodland in Rhodes island for the next 10 years.
Since November 2021, H Hotels Collection have been actively involved in the Rhodes reforestation Forest Ambassador program – to which we are committed to until 2031. This initiative places responsibility in the hands of sponsors, such as ourselves, to act as caretakers of 100 acres of Rhodian woodland – specifically in the areas of Kalathovounos, the dam area in Gadoura and in Lardos. Read on to find out more on this important feat that aims at safeguarding the local environment.
Why Reforestation?
Greece’s blessed climate is one of the main draws of its popularity world-wide. The flip-side to the amazing summer weather are the dry conditions that frequent heat waves impose on the landscapes. Sometimes these result in wildfires that incinerate woodland areas. To off-set this natural occurrence, locally at least, Rhodes reforestation and natural resource preservation become an urgent need.
The Forest Ambassador duties:
The Forest Ambassador initiative falls directly under our Corporate Social Responsibility and is fully aligned with our Environmental practices.
As Forest Ambassadors, we have undertaken the curation and reforestation across 100 acres in Rhodes. The initiative deliverables include the following:
- Regular cleaning of debris and all other kinds of flammable material.
- Protecting and monitoring vegetation levels against overgrazing.
- Planting of 30 trees per year & watering them according to the Guidelines.
– See the digital map for the geo-locations of the newly planted trees here.
– See the corresponding Reforestation certificate here.
Affiliations:
The above-mentioned initiative is run by the local organization Gia Ti Fisi, also known as the Common Nature Rhodes, under the auspices of the Development Agency of the Dodecanese SA and funded by the European Network For Rural Development.
Actions:
In May 2022, representatives of the Forest Ambassador program in Rhodes traveled to Warsaw, Poland to join the strategic talks of GIRA (Green Initiatives Rural Areas) about the development of remote agrarian regions of Europe through initiatives that promote the Green Deal. The team met with their counterparts from France, Holland, Sweden, Germany and Poland to discuss best practices and challenges faced in each of their respective countries.
On World Environment Day, on June 4th 2022, representatives of the Forest Ambassador program presented progress and achievements to a local event held by the Municipality of Rhodes and the House of Europe Rhodes. The same day, H Hotels Collection carried out the annual beach clean-up in honor of Only One Earth.
Our vision:
H Hotels Collection has been delivering genuine Greek hospitality experiences on Rhodes island for 30 years and counting. Being a family-run business at its core, our deep-rooted family traditions make us care for our home island immensely. Therefore, as a major agent in Rhodes, we feel it is our duty to uphold and protect the cultural and natural wealth of the island in every way we can. Our vision is to remain a prestigious Greek hotel group of Responsible Business that will continue to grow in alignment with our Corporate Social Responsibility policies, and safeguard local culture and the environment.
