The founders are giving back to Aruba in honor of Bucuti & Tara’s 35th anniversary
EAGLE BEACH, Aruba – November 7, 2022 – Undeveloped green space in Noord is becoming harder to find, but this will soon change thanks to Ewald Biemans, Grete Marie (Ree) Case, and Bucuti and Tara, who together sponsored and donated approximately 12 hectares (30 acres) of land as a nature preserve for the public and future generations to enjoy.
Preserving Aruba for Aruba
The stretch of land is a desirable place for development with its convenient location to the high-rise hotels. As the last remaining undeveloped private land in Noord, the new nature preserve is located across from Imeldahof and borders the Church of Noord all the way to the Washington School. This land holds tremendous value and would be desirable for tourism-related businesses, including new accommodations or restaurants. Instead of further crowding and overdeveloping the area, Biemans, Case, and Bucuti & Tara sponsored and donated this natural countryside so it will be protected from further development forever and the people of Aruba can continue to enjoy it.
Bucuti & Tara Nature Preserve
The Bucuti & Tara Nature Preserve is protected land. Motorized vehicles of any type are prohibited. The preserve is a typical Aruban ecosystem with any number of the 280 bird species, including Wara Wara, Shocos, and Prikichis, calling Aruba home and all that thrive in its native flora and fauna. This gifted land will eventually offer residents and visitors a quiet, natural place to walk, jog or sit amongst Aruba’s indigenous trees, plant life, and wildlife.
The timing coincides with the 35th anniversary this year of Biemans’ Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort on Eagle Beach. To commemorate the milestone anniversary, the resort has been reflecting on its cherished history with its island home. Biemans recalls how undeveloped the island was 60 years ago and with the subsequent booms of tourism, his commitment to protecting Aruba’s natural beauty and resources spans Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort, the most eco-certified hotel in the Caribbean, and far beyond the hotel.
Biemans’ commitment to protecting Aruba’s natural beauty can be evidenced over the years. He established the Aruba Hotel and Tourism Environmental Committee and began the Sponsor-a-Mile program 30 years ago. He continues to introduce eco-certification programs to help colleague hotels in Aruba begin their sustainability journeys. Particularly treasured initiatives include teaching entrepreneurship to young students in the local school system, giving guest lectures at the University, and welcoming researchers and pupils for hotel sustainability tours. Encouraging guests to take nature tours is core to the Bucuti & Tara experience. In 2019, the resort introduced Lanta y Planta. As the new nature preserve is dedicated, Bucuti & Tara’s commitment to the community and the preservation of Aruba over 35 years continues with this forthcoming reforestation dedication of 35 indigenous trees.
“As a long practitioner of sustainability and the Caribbean’s first and only certified carbon-neutral hotel, now our work will begin to reforest the plots with indigenous trees and build natural pathways. In the future, Aruba’s population will be able to enjoy The Bucuti & Tara Nature Preservation Foundation, to be known as The Bucuti Tara – GMC Park,” Ewald Biemans, Owner/CEO of Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort, explains. “Bucuti & Tara’s milestone anniversary gives us an opportunity to recognize 35 years of extremely positive impact to Aruba’s people and economy, and we wish to continue that by preserving Aruba’s beautiful and precious nature,” says Ewald Biemans, Owner/CEO of Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort.
To learn more, visit Bucuti.com.
Photo credit: Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort, Aruba.
About Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort
Declared the first CarbonNeutral®/net zero hotel in the Caribbean in August 2018, Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort is one of the Top 10 Hotels for Romance in the World (fourth straight year), No. 1 Hotel for Romance in the Caribbean (seventh straight year) and No. 3 Hotel for Service in the Caribbean. Aruba’s premier adults-only boutique resort is led by celebrated hotelier and environmentalist, Ewald Biemans, named by Caribbean Journal as the 2017 Caribbean Hotelier of the Year. The resort is nestled on the powdery white sands of Eagle Beach, home to protected sea turtles and named one of the “Dream Beaches of the World.”
Now home to the Caribbean’s Safest, Healthiest Vacation Experience thanks to its physician-developed COVID-19 safety protocols and Aruba’s Health & Happiness Code seal, Bucuti has 104 well-appointed guestrooms, suites and penthouses. It offers sunbeds and shade for every guest; freshwater infinity pool; spa; WiFi; and complimentary iPad with Skype for use during stay. Award-winning healthy dining is enjoyed at oceanfront Elements, Tara Lounge and private beach dining. Reserved exclusively for guests and their friends, the newly renovated open-air SandBar offers top-shelf cocktails and live music daily along with the Caribbean’s first Healthy Hour. The resort is TAG Approved® as a LGBTQ-friendly hotel. Bucuti, a worldwide sustainable tourism leader, holds eco-certifications of LEED Gold, Green Globe Platinum and Travelife Gold and was named the World’s Most Sustainable Hotel/Resort in 2016 by Green Globe.
