Westin Hapuna Beach Resort launches tree-planting initiative
The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort
COURTESY THE WESTIN HAPUNA BEACH RESORT
The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort is making a commitment to go carbon neutral.
The Hawaii Island resort recently announced a new partnership with the Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative to create a 100,000-tree forest on-property. The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort Forest will be filled with indigenous milo trees, and it marks the first Hawaiian Legacy Forest to be located on a resort property.
The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort planted the inaugural 150 trees in a celebration on Friday.
“Forests are the most effective and immediately scalable carbon capture systems on Earth,” said Tom Cross, general manager of The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort, in a statement. “When we lose our native forests, we not only lose the ecological benefits they provide, but also the collective cultural heritage of our Islands.
"The simple act of planting trees will have a profound effect on reversing these losses, not only for this generation, but for all the generations that follow,” he said.
Located along the Kohala Coast, the Westin Hapuna Beach Resort is comprised of 249 guest rooms, 85,000 square feet of function space, two swimming pools, a workout center and CrossFit Studio, and an 18-hole golf course.
As a part of the partnership, resort guests will be able to plant their own tree in the Westin Hapuna Beach Resort Forest. Each tree is equipped with radio frequency identification, enabling guests to track their tree as it grows.
“The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort is offering their guests the unique opportunity to actively participate in the process of offsetting the carbon footprint of their stay by planting their very own Legacy Trees,” stated Craig Anderson, vice president of resort operations.
The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort marks the latest hotel to partner with the Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative on a tree-planting project. Properties including Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach and The Kahala Hotel & Resort have all recently launched similar partnerships.
Source: Pacific Business News