Logo primary
Logo secondary
No longer at Eco Centro Soneva Fushi
No longer at Eco Centro Soneva Fushi
Details
Commenced:
01/11/2010
Submitted:
16/02/2011
Last updated:
07/10/2015
Location:
Soneva Fushi , Baa Atoll, MV
Website:
www.permaculturemaldives.blogspot.com
Climate zone:
Wet/Dry Tropical





My Projects

(projects i'm involved in)


Followers
Abdullah Nugent Ana Loichot Andrew Cameron Andrew Ogden Cheryl Smith Claudette Fleming Darla Schoenrock David Rivera Ospina Edwina Vine Floyd C. Constable Flynn Ritch HADI NASSAR Hannes Dettmann Hunter Heaivilin Jose Dib Maria Svennbeck Mark Brown Matthew Downs Paige Adams Rian Dob Sam Campbell Stephanie Garvin Tim Auld Ute Bohnsack Zeljko Serdar

Back to No longer at Eco Centro Soneva Fushi

We are being watched ... The word is spreading

Project: No longer at Eco Centro Soneva Fushi

Posted by Mark Garrett over 13 years ago

The update comes from a article plublished on Maldivian Traveller web site. They have been reading this site so it goes to show what we do is being watched by some and spread to more. For full article go to http://maldivestraveller.mv/details/Eco+Touri

Permaculture project at Soneva Fushi heading towards success

By Maldives Traveller Staff
12 April 2011

For full article and pictures go to

Soneva Fushi by Six Senses - located in Baa atoll, reached by a 30 minute seaplane ride - is one of the three luxurious tourist destinations by the Six Senses group in Maldives. All three resorts give a priority to eco-friendly tourism; after some very successful schemes in this regard, Soneva Fushi is now attempting Permaculture.

Details of the resort's ongoing 'Eco Centro' project - which commenced on 01 November 2010 - was recently published on permacultureglobal.org - it was written by the permaculturist at the resort, Mark Garret. He is working to make sure there is a sustainable organic food production at the luxury holiday hideaway, which would comply with the Six Senses philosophy of S.L.O.W L.I.F.E (an abbreviation for Sustainable. Local. Organic. Wholesome. Learning. Inspiring. Fun. Experience).

Permaculture is a contraction of "permanent agriculture" or "permanent culture." It is concerned with the designing of ecological human habitats and food production systems. As a land use and community building movement, it strives for the harmonious integration of human dwellings, microclimate, annual and perennial plants, animals, soils, and water into stable, productive communities. The focus is not on these elements themselves, but rather on the relationships created among them by the way they are placed by humans in the landscape. This synergy is further enhanced by mimicking patterns found in nature.

The concept offers rich potential to Maldives, with its sprinkling of hundreds of coral-islands spaced far apart from each other. Sustainable and eco-friendly ways of life are being frequently introduced and implemented by the resorts in the country, giving inspiration to the locals.

Soneva Fushi by Six Senses began the Eco Centro project with the 2020 target of Maldives in mind: to become carbon-neutral, and thus highlight itself as an example in being an advocate to climate-change adaptation. Meanwhile, Six Senses set a goal of becoming de-carbonised by 2012. De-carbonising is the next step beyond not producing any carbon emissions at all.

According to Six Senses, all its resort is set to produce renewable energy which could provide even neighbouring communities with a zero carbon source of power. According to officials of the Six Senses resorts in Maldives, the destinations frequently welcome a very well-informed clientèle on the subject of climate change, the importance of environmental conservation and reducing their carbon footprint. The guests are intimately involved with environmental and social projects the resorts undertake.

Six months into the Permaculture project, personnel involved in the project have now confirmed what sort of soil they are dealing with, and how alternate fertilizer to cow dung can be used in the country to produce high yield.  According to the resorts Permaculturist, Mark, after visual observations and and through testing for soil pH, results "showed sandy soil with no animal life or organic matter with little moisture retention". 

"The method of gardening was bare soil tillage using only imported cow dung," he wrote, adding, "The challenges were to introduce Permaculture systems to improve the soil without the use of cow dung as the Company directive was that no more cow dung was to be imported since there was no guarantee of them being pesticide free..."

Mark declared in the article that he had managed to convince the local gardeners to reintroduce organic matter through compost, mulching and using tropical garden bed designs - it used to be techniques common in ancient Maldives, when islanders on tiny, isolated coral-islands had to largely depend on self reliability. But the effective organic methods had since died out, with contemporary islanders struggling to yield high produce in agriculture; many have resorted to using excessive fertiliser and medicine.

Mark has also introduced Permaculture-based solutions to improve the soil, and reports that he has seen true success in the garden at Soneva Fushi. In addition to his advices, he complements the local gardeners as having changed various systems to suit the unique environment and situation in Maldives.

With ever advancing steps to accommodate luxury into eco-friendly environments, Soneva Fushi is notable among the global audience. The resorts 65 rooms, three restaurants and four bars, along with the Six Senses Spa, are not the only sources to full fill a well-deserved vacation. You can enjoy the natural wealth and beauty of the aquatic life in the Maldivian seas, observe them even while dry on a sunset cruise, and revel on the glorious beaches and turquoise shallows.

And what more could be rewarding than leaving all the this beauty - and the key that rejuvenated your spirit - with the satiating feeling of wellness that you are suffused with after helping to preserve it. With the resort's Permaculture project, guests would be leaving an additionally reduced carbon footprint, now. And in the long run, the resorts pioneering efforts could influence local communities, leading to a wealthier and healthier lifestyle to both the people and nature.

 

For full article go to

http://maldivestraveller.mv/details/Eco+Tourism+2bplus+Conservation/permaculture-project-at-soneva-fushi-heading-towards-success

 

 

Comments (2)

You must be logged in to comment.

Tim Auld
Tim Auld : Nice one, Mark. I suppose the resort does not include the emissions associated with the travel of its guests in the plan to become carbon neutral. Is that the case?
Posted over 13 years ago

Report Tim Auld on We are being watched ... The word is spreading

Reason:

or cancel

Mark Garrett
Mark Garrett : Yes it does include the emissions from door to door !!! The goal is to decarbonise the resort activities and to offset the carbon footprint that cannot be eliminated throug our direct actions that include air emissions from guest and employee travel. Total air travel emissions09-10 was 16,586 ton76% of total carbon footprint 3.1 tons per guest to and fro. Carbon mittigation through a Carbon Sense Fund invests in large scale abatement projects of renewable energy and reforestation. A trust is to be set up and a guest levy will fund the projects to reduce the carbon footprint over time
Posted over 13 years ago

Report Mark Garrett on We are being watched ... The word is spreading

Reason:

or cancel

Courses Taught Here!
Project Badges
Rural Residential Commercial Community School Demonstration Educational
Administrators
Mark Garrett - Admin
Team Members

Report No longer at Eco Centro Soneva Fushi

Reason:

or cancel

Hide No longer at Eco Centro Soneva Fushi

Reason:

or cancel

Hide We are being watched ... The word is spreading

Reason:

or cancel

Legend of Badges

Note: The various badges displayed in people profiles are largely honesty-based self-proclamations by the individuals themselves. There are reporting functions users can use if they know of blatant misrepresentation (for both people and projects). Legitimacy, competency and reputation for all people and projects can be evidenced and/or developed through their providing regular updates on permaculture work they’re involved in, before/after photographs, etc. A spirit of objective nurturing of both people and projects through knowledge/encouragement/inspiration/resource sharing is the aim of the Worldwide Permaculture Network.

Member

Member

A member is a permaculturist who has never taken a PDC course. These cannot become PDC teachers. Members may be novice or highly experienced permaculturists or anywhere in between. Watch their updates for evaluation.

Male memberFemale member

Permaculture Matchmaker

One of these badges will show if you select your gender and the "I'm single, looking for a permaculture partner" option in your profile.

unverified

PDC

People who claim to have taken a Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) course somewhere in the world.

verified

PDC Verified

People who have entered an email address for the teacher of their PDC course, and have had their PDC status verified by that teacher. Watch their updates for evaluation.

pri_verified

PRI PDC

People who’ve taken a Permaculture Research Institute PDC somewhere in the world.

pdc_teacher

PDC Teacher

People who claim to teach some version of PDC somewhere in the world.

pri_teacher

PRI Teacher

With the exception of the ‘Member’ who has never taken a PDC, all of the above can apply to become a PRI PDC Teacher. PRI PDC Teachers are those who the PRI recognise, through a vetting board, as determined and competent to teach the full 72-hour course as developed by Permaculture founder Bill Mollison – covering all the topics of The Designers’ Manual as well as possible (i.e. not cherry picking only aspects the teacher feels most interested or competent in). Such teachers also commit to focussing on the design science, and not including subjective spiritual/metaphysical elements. The reason these items are not included in the PDC curriculum is because they are “belief” based. Permaculture Design education concerns itself with teaching good design based on strategies and techniques which are scientifically provable.

PRI PDC Teachers may be given teaching and/or consultancy offerings as they become available as the network grows.

pri_teacher

Aid Worker

The individual with this badge is indicating they are, have, or would like to be involved in permaculture aid work. As such, the individual may or may not have permaculture aid worker experience. Watch their updates for evaluation.

pri_teacher

Consultant

The individual with this badge is indicating they are, have, or would like to do paid permaculture design consultancy work. As such, the individual may or may not have permaculture consultancy experience. Watch their updates for evaluation.

community

Community Project

Community projects are projects that help develop sustainable community interaction and increase localised resiliency.

Report We are being watched ... The word is spreading

Reason:

or cancel