Wolgan Valley awarded for conservation

Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa general manager Joost Heymeijer hands the Conde Nast Traveler’s World Savers Award to Phil Cram, facilities manager and Ben Boothby, senior field guide with the resort’s conservation Tteam.

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WOLGAN Valley Resort and Spa has been honoured at the prestigious 2011 World Savers Award for its pioneering work and commitment to wildlife conservation. 

The Condé Nast Traveler's fifth annual World Savers Awards acclaims travel companies from around the world for their leadership in social responsibility. The process is judged across six categories including wildlife conservation, poverty relief, environmental and cultural preservation, education, and health initiatives.

Wolgan Valley Resort and Spa general manager Joost Heymeijer said: "In just two years of opening, we're incredibly humbled to receive another global accolade for our commitment to wildlife conservation. From the outset, the resort has been built on the philosophy of complete integration with the Australian environment and a focus on endangered species protection."

The world's first internationally accredited carbon-neutral resort, Wolgan Valley Resort and Spa is nestled between two of Australia's most prominent national parks and borders the Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, a scenic three hour drive from Sydney.

The resort itself occupies just two per cent of the Emirates-owned 4,000-acre property, and combines the expectations of the high-end traveller with a commitment to broader social, ecological and environmental sustainability.

Travellers have become sensitive to environmental issues - in particular their own impact on the locations and communities they visit. They are equally are not expecting to lower their standards, and the quality of their experiences when travelling.  

"When guests stay at Wolgan Valley, they immediately recognise our ethos and ongoing commitment to be truly environmentally and socially responsible; and of course also appreciate the unique, luxury world-class experiences delivered by Emirates have not been compromised.

"We commend our colleagues in Australia and around the world who are making contributions to become more socially responsible. We hope these efforts continue to protect our naturally beautiful landmarks and locations, ensuring our industry grows and prospers," said Mr Heymeijer.
 
With approximately 4,000 acres of land dedicated as a wildlife reserve, the Wolgan conservancy project re-establishes and secures a future for many of the region's indigenous and endangered species, which were under critical pressure from introduced flora and feral predators - the major cause of species extinction in Australia.

To date, over 175,000 indigenous trees have been planted in wildlife corridors and along creek banks at Wolgan Valley. The resort also incorporates many Ecologically Sustainable Design principles and resource-saving technologies, ranging from rainwater collection, full recycling of all domestic water, heat exchange technology to reduce electricity consumption and the use of solar panels for all hot water systems. 
 
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