Blue & Green Laamu Publishes Its November Endeavours
Wednesday 14th of December 2022
As always, Six Senses Laamu has had a busy month in conservation and sustainability initiatives with many notable milestones and achievements to mark the month of November. From thriving seagrass populations to its local community engagements, the Blue & Green Laamu remains steadfast in its conservational efforts as we head to the end of the year. Here are some of the things, the Maldives Underwater Initiative has been up to this past month!
The Ever-Green Seagrass Population
Closing on the 4th year of seagrass monitoring, Blue & Green Laamu has significant advancements to show in the seagrass growth rate in the region. Six different seagrasses have been identified in the meadows and their instrumental role in safeguarding the environment puts this milestone in a positive light. Seagrasses act as a shelter and nursery ground for one-fifth of the world’s fisheries and help to stabilize the sediment of the atolls, mitigating the effects of coastal erosion.
Moreover, seagrass meadows have the capacity to sequester carbon dioxide 35 times faster than tropical rainforests, locking the carbon in sinks for many years. Additionally, they also assist in protecting coral reefs by reducing the effects of ocean acidification.
The MUI Team Undertakes Coral Disease Training
During November, valuable coral disease workshops were conducted for the MUI team and the Deep Blue Divers by a coral disease specialist from the University of Milano-Bicocca, Dr. Simone Montano. The specialist relayed insightful information on how to distinguish between coral damage from predation and disease, identify various coral diseases and the impact of such diseases on coral reef ecosystems. Following the training, the team can now actively recognize early outbreaks and put suitable measures in place to limit the spread of diseases.
Maavah Snorkelling Program
Maldives Resilient Reefs (MRR) and Blue Marine Foundation partnered to carry out a snorkelling program for 21 students, teachers, and parents of Maavah School. The participants were informed on snorkelling skills, ocean safety, and marine life before a guided snorkel was conducted around the uninhabited island of Kashiguraidhoo. 11 out of 13 schools in Laamu Atoll have now completed the snorkelling program with the remaining schools in the pipeline.
Cookie Returns to Nest
2022 has seen a total of 19 nests on the Six Senses Laamu beach. The last three nests identified by the team have been laid by the same female turtle named Cookie. Since green turtles usually lay 3-5 times in a season with a 10–12-day gap between each nesting, the team was able to predict and encounter Cookie during her nesting. She has been spotted nesting in June 2018 and March 2021 too!
Plant Pot Donation
The Earth Lab has partnered with the Nature Club of Laamu Maamendhoo School to make unique plant pots from the discarded towels from the laundry operation. The activity transformed the operational waste into a useful object that can be reused. Following the activity, the club members conducted a fund-raising event at the resort by selling plant pots to hosts. The money obtained will be utilized for educational trips within the atoll.
