Misool Eco Resort is deeply committed to a policy of environmental and social responsibility. We seek to provide exceptional and enriching experiences in a sustainable environment. We aim to protect and revitalise both our natural surroundings and the community in which we operate. We are committed to demonstrating to our hosts, our guests, and the local government that tourism can support a local economy with much more favourable terms than mining, logging, overfishing, or shark finning.

Conservation:

• with the full cooperation of the local community, we established a 425 sq km No-Take Zone surrounding Misool Eco Resort in 2005. In October of 2010, we expanded the area to 1,220 sq km (465 sq mi)
• we regularly patrol the area for fishing and shark finning
• Misool Conservation Centre is registered as an Indonesian charitable foundation

Building: we've enginereed our structures to be as low impact as possible, both during building and operation.

• MER uses sustainable sources of wood. With the exception of a few furniture samples and plywood, all the wood used to build our resort has been salvaged hardwoods. Our team has excavated driftwood buried under beach sand, and then milled every single piece by hand in our portable saw mill. To date, we've milled over 500 cubits of wood in Seram, and nearly another 100 cubits in Raja Ampat.
• this wood has been purchased directly from the local people rather than logging conglomerates.
• most of the fine carpentry work, such as making doors, windows, and furniture, is done locally. We supply the carpenters with our own eco-lumber.
• our pier has been constructed with salvaged 22-inch metal pipe.
• we've engineered our structures for a balance between energy efficiency and using natural, environmentally appropriate materials:

• our cottages use natural thatch roofing. It's a locally made product, and an excellent insulator.
• the cottages have deep verandas and low roof lines, decreasing the amount of solar heat which enters the building.
• the steeply pitched roofs and open eaves create a natural ventilation system.
• cavity walls are insulated with coconut fibres and treated with borax, a natural termite deterrent.
• whenever possible, we use natural finishing products such as teak oil rather than varnishes and chemical sealants

Energy: we're doing what we can to minimise our consumption of fossil fuels.

• we have sourced low consumption appliances such as air conditioners, fans, and lights
• we are currently experimenting with a wind turbine and solar panels. We hope to shift much of the burden away from diesel generators and back to sustainable power sources
• we have just purchased our second Evinrude E-tec engine, a much more fuel efficient outboard engine. We hope to eventually switch over all our engines.

Water: water is very scarce at Misool Eco Resort, and we ask our guests and staff to do their part in minimising its consumption. We'd like to decrease our dependence on water sources off our island.

• we collect rainwater. For back up, we have also installed a desalination unit.
• we use water-saving shower heads and taps
• grey and black water is treated through natural waste water gardens. The naturally occurring bacteria on the roots breaks down the waste into safe components.
• rather than washing linens and towels daily, we wash them upon request
• we use natural cleaning products like good ol' fashioned borax, vinegar, bicarbonate of soda, and elbow grease.

Waste: we are operating in a very fragile eco-system, and we're trying to create a closed loop

• grey and black water goes through our waste water garden cleaning flower beds
• we compost all our kitchen scraps, which makes great fertilizer for our organic kitchen gardens. And it keeps the monitor lizards happy
• we avoid using pesticides and herbicides. We spritz our plants and trees with an unsavoury mix of tobacco and water. Bugs find it abhorrent.
• inorganic matter is returned to Sorong for proper recycling and disposal
• we try minimise the amount of toxins released into our system by supplying our guests and staff with biodegradable soaps and shampoos
• our island is free of disposable plastic water bottles.
• we ask our guests to think carefully when they're packing and leave disposable plastic lighters, plastic bags, plastic bottles, etc, at home
• we ask our guests to please bring home all used batteries - Indonesia does not offer proper battery recycling facilities.

People: the conservation of this delicate ecosystem is critical for a multitude of reasons, including the survival and wellbeing of its human inhabitants. We believe that the conservation of this ecosystem is absolutely vital to the economic and cultural survival of Raja Ampat's indigenous people.

• we've contracted the land for Misool Eco Resort directly from the Yellu, the local village 14 miles to the northwest of our resort island.
• the majority of our labour comes from Yellu
• whenever possible, we buy locally

• we offer favourable employment terms, approved by the local department of labour as well as our workers themselves
• all of our workers are offered health insurance for themselves and their families
• we offer many opportunities for advancement as well as job training, regular English lessons, and CPR
• we educate our local staff on the importance of conservation
• our local staff educate our management on local remedies, traditions, wildlife patterns, secret lagoons, Indonesian and local language and culture, etc
• we sponsor several village councils
• we sponsor 4 local teachers
• we provide school materials and library books to the schools

photo by justin ebert