Top tourism officials from the US, Canada and the UK descended on Bermuda?s beaches to clear debris and plant new trees. The event saw almost 100 people from the tourism industry, including Tourism and Transport Minister Dr. Ewart Brown and Environment Minister Randolph Horton, spend four hours working on South Shore beaches and parks.

The clean-up was a highlight of the 6th Annual Tourism Cares Leadership Summit, held at the Fairmont Southampton Hotel.

Executive director of Tourism Cares, Bruce Beckham, said: ?We are a non-profit organization that benefits society by preserving, conserving and promoting the responsible use of the world?s natural, cultural and historic treasures.? Mr. Beckham described the day as very successful and added: ?We helped the Bermuda Parks Department, and we helped the people of Bermuda recognize that they have to be conscious of conservation and preservation.?

He added: ?We visited Bermuda as a group to enhance tourism opportunities on the island.

?The participants included CEO?s, presidents and upper-level managers.

?The ?conservation event? allowed many of the participants to give back by providing hours of hard labour in the hot sun to assist in keeping Bermuda?s famous beaches pristine and healthy for generations to come.?

At the end of the event 100 Bermuda Cedar trees, 30 Bermuda Palmetto Palms and 15 Baygrape trees were planted at Chaplin Bay and Warwick Long Bay. Non-indigenous plants and trees were removed, and debris was removed from the beaches and parks.