Aspen backs marine conservation and education scheme
An insurance group has pledged $50,000 to a charity focused on marine conservation and education.
Aspen Insurance will offer payments over two years to help Waterstart with its experiential learning programmes and restoration projects.
JP Skinner, the director and founder of Waterstart, offered his “sincere thanks” to the company on behalf of his charity.
He said: “These funds ensure that we can continue our educational research projects that are under way, including work on seagrass monitoring.”
Mr Skinner added: “Aspen’s commitment to our programme and to the education of the students in Bermuda will make a tremendous positive impact.
“After students had to spend so much time virtually learning this year, it is particularly special to get them out on the water and explore our island again.
“This summer, we have had many student and community volunteers placing seagrass cages down and conducting baseline surveys.
“We look forward to offering an opportunity-filled exciting year ahead for our students and local community.”
The pledge came after volunteers with Aspen helped to build 36 turtle exclusion cages in March on the charity’s campus at Burt Island in the Great Sound.
The exclusion cages are made to protect budding seagrass from predators such as sea turtles and ensure their regrowth for the sake of the marine ecology.
Adam Barboza, the director of corporate social responsibility at Aspen, said that the company’s relationship with other charities highlighted one of their values of “being in it together”.
He added: “By supporting the experiential learning programme and the island campus that Waterstart provides, we are investing in the young sustainability leaders of the future.
“Aspen is also committed to making a positive difference for the environment, and the seagrass habitat restoration projects and the subsequent research findings that Waterstart is engaged with further demonstrates the unique opportunity Bermuda has in the Blue Carbon space.
“Waterstart provides positive impact in many forms and we look forward to growing our relationship with them in the future.”
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