Red Sea Global Launches Sustainablility Stewards Initiative

Members of the local community hired to play an active role in the conservation and enhancement of the site

Red Sea Global (formaerly known as TRSDC), the developer behind the world’s most ambitious regenerative tourism projects, The Red Sea and Amaala, is hiring a team of local Sustainability Stewards. The initiative will support with the delivery of several ongoing and new programs at the project site.

Earlier this year, a Project Manager and a Senior Specialist were hired and in this next phase, the team is set to grow to include four supervisors and 26 stewards from local communities. The full team is expected to be in place by the end of August 2020.

“As members of the local community, they have a vested interest in protecting the habitat and species that call our site home. The new team brings a wealth of local knowledge which will be sharpened with the provision of a tailored training program in order to achieve our sustainability goals and ultimately enhance the destination.” 

The program covers general environmental awareness and local wildlife, and the impact of increased plastic recycling and alternatives. Each employee will receive comprehensive first aid and first response training in order to build confidence and knowledge of how to handle specific situations correctly and efficiently.

Deep-rooted in the cultural heritage of the local tribes is a formal conservation system known as “hima”. Tribespeople were historically responsible for ensuring the protection of the flora and fauna in their territories. The Red Sea destination area is rich in acacia trees, in part because the local Bedouin proscribed their destruction and used the trees selectively for firewood and home construction components.

The initial training workshop will present the wide variety of flora currently at the site. The objective of the training is to ensure that each recruit can identify key flora species and, particularly those that are poisonous. The workshop will also equip the new employees with an understanding of maintaining biodiversity, ecological balance and successful conservation of flora.

As part of their remit, the Sustainability Stewards will be responsible for engaging with the wider local communities, particularly with school children, to raise awareness of the environment and how best to protect it.