🌳 $250,000 raised for forest preservation in Cayman Islands
Private fundraising dinner hosted by local couple contributes to National Trust's Land Reserve Fund
A private fundraising dinner hosted by Karen and Chris Luijten has raised $250,000 for the National Trust for the Cayman Islands. The funds will be used to acquire a piece of primary forest identified by the Trust. Despite being the largest-ever contribution to the Land Reserve Fund, it only covers half the cost of this particular piece of land. The Luijten's covered all expenses for the event, including the cost of flying in chefs from Positano, Italy. 🍽️
The land the National Trust for the Cayman Islands (NTCI) aims to acquire is located in the eastern half of Grand Cayman. This area boasts more diversity than the developed western side of the island, with unique plants and animals not found elsewhere. The land is currently for sale and at risk of development, which would jeopardize the habitat of various species, including the endemic Cayman Bullfinch and blue iguanas. 🐦🦎
The Land Reserve Fund was established in 2010 to buy and protect environmentally sensitive land. The NTCI is working towards the global '30 by 30' initiative, which aims to designate 30% of the earth's land and oceans as protected areas by 2030. Despite the success of the private fundraising event, the Trust still needs to raise additional funds to acquire the land and is appealing for further donations. 🌍
