The Private Islands Blog » Charity

Richard Branson Opens Island for Charity

The Islomaniac® — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 15:59:52 +0000

Richard Branson recently openend his private islandd, Necker Island in support of the BVI Charitable fund. Branson welcomed over 50 people for lunch at the Beach Pavillion and 72 people for dinner at the Great House to as part of the 2009 Virgin Islands Winemakers Dinners.The second part of the 2009 Winemakers Dinners series will be held from December 3rd to 6th with an opening reception at the Pirates Bight on Norman Island followed by dinners on Virgin Gorda and Tortola.

So, if you love wine, good food and of course private islands this may be an event you will want to get on the list for, especially considering these are islands that not everyone has access to.

To read more about the event visit bvinews.com

World’s First Non-Profit Luxury Eco-Resort Announced

The Islomaniac® — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 06:02:04 +0000

Sustainable tourism is a popular concept these days with many new eco-friendly island resorts being developed around the world. It was recently announced that the world’s first non-profit and luxury eco-resort community will be built on a 124-acre private island in the Calamianes archipelago, at the northernmost tip of the Palawan Biosphere Reserve in the Philippines.

The new resort will commit 100 percent of operating profits to environmental protection and social improvements. The island, named Cacao Pearl, will occupy an entire private island, which is comprised of lush rainforests and white sand beaches. Here is what a rep had to say about the new resort.

The Cacao Pearl is an eco-chic low-density boutique resort concept promising sustainable development and sustainable enjoyment ˜ designer homes with zero carbon cost, 5 stars service, an infinity pool, wreck & reef diving, a secluded destination spa, organic gardens & bar, restaurant, private media rooms and enough delicious design details to delight the most discerning guest.

To read more about this new resort click here.

New Private Islands Magazine

The Islomaniac® — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 20:05:55 +0000

Until now there has never been a magazine entirely dedicated to Private Islands and Private Island living. Recently the first edition of the Private Islands Magazine was published.

The magazine is truly an islomaniacs dream, and I am must say I’m envious of their accomplishment. The magazine has an increidble variety of articles about all aspects of private island life. There is an excellent article about Teva Victor who grew up on a private island in Bora Bora, and an interesting article about Mel Gibsons Mago Island in Fiji. The best part of this magazine is its amazing high resolution photos of islands around the world, many of which have never been seen before.

Another unique feature of this intrepid magazine is you can take Google Earth tours of unique island destinations. One click of a button will have you whisked around the world visiting popular celebrity islands or the world’s most exclusive island resorts.

The magazine available exclusively online at www.privateislandsmag.com. Expect to see the print edition in stores in early 2009. To subscribe in advance for the print edition click here.

Hurricane Katrina Dogs Get a New Island Home

The Islomaniac® — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 12:54:14 +0000

Four pit bulls rescued after Hurricane Katrina are about to have a private island of their own. Candian veterinarian Pilar Gosselin, who, with fellow Alberta vets Dave Brace and Dave Szentimrey, paid $2.2-million to buy deserted Rabbit Island as a refuge for the traumatized pups. The 15-hectare chunk of wilderness sitting off the Sunshine Coast in British Columbia will certainly be a world away from the filthy, hot crates the dogs called home for six weeks after the disaster.

The island was purchased from Orange Coast College who had possession of the island since it was donated by California sailor and businessman Henry Wheeler. Rabit Island, which is named for its shape was used to study grasshoppers. Now instead of being a haven for scientists the island will be a menagerie for canines.

Dr. Gosselin, has said that three of her seven dogs have already visited the island for their first holiday. Noting that the dogs love it and relished the opportunity to run in and out of the lodge with nothing to get in trouble with.

What a great project, its always nice to see islands being put to good use.

Source: The Globe and Mail

NYC Claims Final Private Island

The Islomaniac® — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 05:34:49 +0000

South Brother Island, in the East River of New York State is a seven acre island consisting of dense forest, bittersweet vines, and flocks of wild birds. The island offers a glimpse of what the rest of the city might have looked like thousands of years ago.

Even if you live in NYC, chances are you have never heard of the island. In fact the island has historically been so overlooked that it was sold for $10 in 1975. That figure is even more astounding considering the island is in the middle of the city.

Yesterday the island formally changed hands to the city for $2 million. South Brother is situated between the Bronx and Queens. Officials have stated that the island will most likely be left in its natural state as a nature sanctuary. The island which is the smaller than its sibling North Brother Island, was once the quarantine home of Typhoid Mary.

Unlike the better-known East River islands like Randalls, Roosevelt and Rikers, South Brother’s past is murky. The island was once claimed by the Dutch West India Company in 1614, and was originally named “De Gesellen.” The islands soon passed into the hands of the English, but remained undeveloped for almost two centuries because of the treacherous currents surrounding them. It has also been rumored that South Brother may have been a base for Union soldiers during the Civil War.

Clearly this is an amazing and historically significant island. It is amazing that it has maintained its identity for so long considering it is on the doorstep of one of the largest cities in the world. To read more about the island click here.

A sterling example of island stewardship

The Islomaniac® — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 16:48:46 +0000

I’m not sure if you’ve been reading much about these guys, but there’s a group called Seacology that’s been making headlines for their conservation efforts. In a nutshell, they give basic things like education and social services to island populations as a trade for their commitment to protect their islands’ fragile environment. There’s an island called Chumbe off the coast of Africa that now features a huge eco-resort, sustainably built from materials that aren’t difficult to scrounge up at all. They’ve also funded a project to protect Chumbe Island’s reef, which has had a really positive impact on the fishing that the locals can do nearby. It’s a simple equation, really- less fishing in the sensitive reef area means more fish available nearby, and the locals are pretty happy about it. As islomaniacs, that’s an example for all of us. The more we protect the environment of our islands, the more our islands will give us.

Private Island to Protect Girls Rescued from the Sex Trade

The Islomaniac® — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 08:15:17 +0000

I was recently contacted by the people at White Orchid an organization I had up until this point never heard of. White Orchid is actually one of the most ambitious and innovative island projects going on in the world and the people involved with the project are inspiring.

A Potential Island

White Orchid is an island project for girls rescued from the sex trade in Asia. The goal of White Orchid is to buy an island and build a school for these rescued girls. The school will be a safe haven for girls that are victims of the sex trade. The school will be eco friendly and also act as a reserve for rescued and endangered animals. White Orchid doesn’t plan on stopping with one island either, once their pilot project is up an running they plan on buying more islands and setting up more schools around the world, with a focus on Asia and South America. Click below to read more about White Orchid.

The school will house 100 girls to start and will remain free of men for at least the first year. During the first year the focus will be on rehabilitation and language training (English). All staff will be highly trained and an emphasis will be placed on hiring staff who have PhD’s. The island is not just a school, its also meant to be there home. Girls will leave the Island at 18 if they choose, or they can stay longer. White Orchid will pay for them to attend University and they can come back whenever they like.

The organization is quick to point out that they are not a charity and they are taking active steps to make this school a reality. They are actively surveying islands and working with a broker. They are also willing to talk to other brokers and island experts for advice on this person.

I personally think using an island in this manner is perfect. An island is the perfect location to provide safety and security for girls rescued from the sex trade. I think they say it the best on their website, “Safety, self sustainability, rehabilitation, hope, security. Why not an Island?”

If you would like to find out more about white orchid and how you can support them, please visit here. In addition, they are always looking for people who can help them out in a variety of ways from volunteering to financial contributions. Since a lot of you out there are interested in islands I would encourage you to use your connections to help this organization out.

Let’s Beat Cancer

The Islomaniac® — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 08:13:57 +0000

Today I thought I would take a break from my regular posts to draw attention to an issue that is important to me. It was two years ago today that I lost me dear wife Madeline of 40 years to Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Most of you out there have lost someone you loved to cancer and like me know that it robs an individual of their independence and dignity. Not a day goes by that I don’t think of her, but I know she is in a better place now. I plead with you to get a mammogram, get a prostate exam, talk to your doctor if you notice something out of the ordinary and encourage your family members to do the same. The best chance we have to beat this disease is early prevention. Most importantly cherish your friends and family, and be kind to others, we are given but one life, use it wisely.

To learn more about cancer and to contribute to the fight against cancer please visit the American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/docroot/home/index.asp

God Bless,

Mark

The Endangered Islands Campaign

The Islomaniac® — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 13:47:00 +0000

I have often thought about what the influence of global warming will be on private islands and small island nations. It seems that despite their limited contribution to greenhouse gases they will pay the steepest price. A rise in sea level as well as an increase in violent storm activity will significantly impact private islands and small island nations.

I recently came across an organization called the endangered islands campaign. The goal of the EIC is to assist small island developing nations in building capacity to respond to and recover from the potential effects of climate change. Click below to read about the EIC’s vision.

Image source:

From the Endangered Islands Campaign

We are all in the Same Boat

The EIC envisions a number of island nations becoming models for comprehensive responses to climate change, including climate adaptation measures, emergency preparedness and clean energy transformation. The initiative also aims at identifying vulnerabilities of island states to climate change and creating global awareness of the moral and economic dimensions of such climate change.

The EIC’s main three objectives are as follows:

To develop comprehensive approaches to climate change in participating SIDS that encompass coastal protection, improved building design, clean energy transformation as well as emergency preparedness and anticipatory climate adaptation to protect fragile ecosystems.
To build partnerships between participating island nations and coastal cities and states of more populous countries sharing similar vulnerabilities to climate change, such as sea level rise and extreme weather conditions.
To leverage these partnerships to motivate the public in populous, heavy greenhouse gas emitting nations to insist on energy changes of the scope needed to save many small island states from extinction.

Overall, the EIC has been designed to make an impact on the lives and lifestyles of the inhabitants of the participating SIDS as well as the population of the various communities and groups within the developed nations.

Source:

If you would like to learn more click here: