Fire Island Conservation, a crusade that started with a tiny island in the Indian Ocean. An island that was destined to become a luxury resort, inspired a crusade to foster conservation in the communities, and beyond. Fire Island, translated from the Portuguese “Ilha do Fogo”, is a breath taking, remote island, within Primeiras e Segundas Environmental Protection Area, in Mozambique. This EPA is Africa’s largest coastal marine reserve, and home to incredibly diverse fauna and flora, including endangered turtles. When American-born businessman, Robert Koski, purchased Ilha do Fogo almost a decade ago, he and his team discovered that it was ravaged by poachers, and sadly, the endangered Hawksbill and Green turtles were the main victims of the poaching. His dream to build a resort was quickly replaced by a desire to protect these imperilled species, and thus, Fire Island Conservation was born. The island is an essential turtle nesting site, and we founded a turtle monitoring program, to help ensure their nesting process is unimpeded. The project aims to empower Pebane locals with the knowledge to understand the conservation issues, and the skills to carry out the monitoring and tagging of these animals. This is one of many projects we have established to empower our local communities, while providing an alternative income opportunity to poaching. We also have properties in Cape Town, Kryger, The Karoo and in Sani Pass. As all the Fire Island Conservation Projects are self-funded at this point, we use a portion of the profits generated from our private lodges to assist with the conservation projects, and tourism will always play a key role in the sustainability of these projects. Apart from creating a presence of outsiders in the more remote areas that will assist with the prevention of illegal and unsustainable harvesting, it is also a great way for tourists to experience these areas for themselves and to better understand the need for conservation. Eco-tourism also creates more employment opportunities for the local population.
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