Eco Rating Tamarind Tree

Name of property	The Tamarind Tree Hotel & Restaurant
Person completing this form	Annette Peyer Loerner
Position	Managing Director
Address of property	Westcoast Highway, Salisbury P.O.Box 754, Roseau
Country	Dominica
Phone number including country code and area code	1 767 449 73 95
Web site	Tamarind Tree
E-mail	[email protected]
Type of property	Micro hotel
Number of rooms or cottages	12
Maximum number of guests	30
Eco memberships	Not any more
Eco ratings, certifications, awards	Eco Rating at Eco Tropical Resorts: 3.6 out of 5. Previously Green Globe 21 certified 2 years and benchmarked 2 years

• Do you have a written environmental or social sustainability policy?     YES

If yes, please attach.

• Do you have a written environmental management system?                  YES

If yes, please attach.

• Describe the property – aim, size, facilities, amount of land owned and leased  (150 words max)

The Tamarind Tree Hotel & Restaurant is a small, intimate middle class hotel, conveniently located in the centre of Dominica’s west coast on top of a 100 foot cliff, offering a beautiful view over the Caribbean Sea, the Bay of Salisbury and Morne Diablotin, Dominica’s tallest mountain.
The beaches of Macoucherie and Salisbury resp. where the dive center is located, are only a few minutes walk away.

All rooms have their own bathroom with shower, hot and cold water, ceiling fan, telephone, refrigerator and a large porch with ocean view for common use. Superior rooms are air-conditioned.

Facilities at your disposal:       Restaurant, Bar, Swimming Pool

Activities:        Diving – Hiking – Sight-seeing –   Excursions – Whale Watching – Horseback riding – Car Rental

At the Tamarind Tree Restaurant we offer tasty snacks for lunch and in the evening fine creole and international cuisine.

Meal Plans:     CP (breakfast included in room rate), MAP (half board), FAP (full board), All Inclusive

• Describe the location, including distance to nearest town and size of town (100 words max)

The Tamarind Tree Hotel & Restaurant is located in the exact centre of Dominica’s west coast, 1 km south of the village of Salisbury, across the main road (Westcoast Highway) from the Macoucherie Cricket Field and the Rum Distillery, at 20 kms from both towns, Roseau, the capital with 20’000 inhabitants to the south and Portsmouth, the second town in Dominica, approx. 8’000 inhabitants, to the north.
Even though only 2 minutes from the main road, the location is very quiet.
Macoucherie Valley, River and Beach, Salisbury Beach and the Rum Factory are within a few minutes walking distance.
Public buses run frequently to both towns from Monday to Saturday.

• Describe WHY you made the decision to develop an eco resort (100 word max)

The basic decision was to build a small, familiar, intimate hotel for divers and other active nature lovers. Having grown up “eco” in Germany and Switzerland, both my husband and I planned several ecological features from the beginning: rain water tank, solar heating for hot water, waste separation and recycling, use of environmental friendly and safe cleaning agents, etc.
We came to Dominica for the love of the unspoiled nature. Therefore it is self -explanatory that we do everything we can to protect and preserve it. Our main objective is to run an ordinary **hotel in an ecological way by proving that this can be done without any major additional financial investment if planned from the beginning and without any decrease in guest comfort.

Introduction to the Butterfly Club’s Eco Rating

The Butterfly Club Eco Rating has five equally-weighted categories:

• Energy;
• Water;
• Recycling and waste;
• Land and nature conservation; and
• Community.

Each category has five levels, designated by one to five butterflies.  Through self assessment, resort operators completing this rating will determine their own levels within each category based on their responses to items listed below.

Two categories – energy and water – have similar rating systems with Levels 1 and 2 addressing conservation of existing resources, and Levels 3, 4 and 5 addressing creation of renewable energy or capturing water.

Level five in every category also requires written sustainability policies or environmental management systems to: (1) monitor and record consumption; (2) test and apply additional conservation methods; and (3) work towards specific targets.   We require a copy of your policies if you achieve level 5 in any category.

Eco Rating Tamarind Tree Energy

Levels 1 and 2 – conservation: Check all that apply:

X      use natural air circulation and fans, not air conditioners  IN STANDARD ROOMS
X      use natural light during the day
X      minimize use of fossil-fuel powered vehicles, machines and equipment
X      use “on demand” or solar heating for hot water
___   air dry clothes/linens    WE USE A GAS LAUNDRY DRYER
___   wash dishes by hand    A PROPERLY USED DISHWASHER IS AS ENERGY
CONSERVING AS DOING THE DISHES BY HAND
X      use energy efficient appliances and electronics
X      use low wattage fluorescent light bulbs
X      change linens, tablecloths, napkins upon request
X      switch off lights when not used
Other energy conservation activities? Please list:

Level 1 = four or fewer energy conservation activities

Level 2 = five or more energy conservation activities

Levels 3, 4 and 5 – renewable energy: Indicate proportion (%) of energy from each source:

___  solar
___  wind
___  hydro
___  generator
public utility: 32% hydro, 68% diesel
Other energy sources? Please list:

100% TOTAL
How were these proportions developed?

Level 3 = renewable energy is employed and is less than 1/3 of all energy

Level 4 = renewable energy constitutes 1/3 – 2/3 of all energy

Level 5 = renewable energy constitutes 2/3 or more of all energy.  In addition, there are written sustainability policies or environmental management systems to: (1) monitor and record energy consumption; (2) test and apply additional energy conservation methods; and (3) work towards specific energy targets.

Attach a copy of your policies if you achieve Energy Level 5 (required).

Your Energy Level (select 1 – 5) =   3

Eco Rating Tamarind Tree Water

Levels 1 and 2 – conservation: Check all that apply:

X         low flow faucets and showerheads
X         low water use toilets
X         change linens, towels, tablecloths, and napkins upon request
___      use table mats that can be wiped and not laundered
X         use biodegradable laundry detergent, dish soap and hand soap
X         treat swimming pool with chlorine-free processes
Other water conservation activities?  Please list.
Re-use of gray water to irrigate the cliff
Collect rain water to flush toilets and irrigate garden

Level 1 = three or fewer water conservation activities

Level 2 = four or more water conservation activities

Levels 3, 4 and 5 – capture and treat fresh water and manage waste water. Capture water: Indicate proportion (%) of water from each source:

___  spring
___  river
40%  rain
___  reuse gray
60% public utility
Other water sources? Please list.

100% TOTAL

Fresh water treatment: how is captured fresh water treated?
___  naturally.  Indicate method: charcoal, ultraviolet light, other? List:
___  chemically.  List chemicals used:

Waste water management:
X         septic tanks
___  cesspools
___  other? List methods:

Level 3: Water is captured (from springs, rivers, rain or prior use) and constitutes less than 1/3 of water from all sources.  Water is treated chemically.  Water disposal does not minimize damage to coral reefs and rain forests

Level 4:  Captured water constitutes 1/3 to 2/3 of all water.  Water is treated naturally. Water disposal minimizes damage to coral reefs and rain forests

Level 5:  Captured water constitutes more than 2/3 of all water.  Water is treated naturally. Water disposal minimizes damage to coral reefs and rain forests.   In addition, there are written sustainability policies or environmental management systems to: (1) monitor and record water consumption; (2) test and apply additional water conservation methods; and (3) work towards specific water targets.

Attach a copy of your policies if you achieve Water Level 5 (required).

Your Water Level (select 1 – 5): 4

Eco Rating Tamarind Tree Recycling and waste

Check all that apply:

X      use durable service items, e.g. cups, glasses, dishes, tableware, storage items
X      buy fresh and local to reduce packaging and emissions from transportation
X      purchase in bulk to reduce packaging
X      recycle paper, glass, plastic
X      minimize emissions from fossil-fuel powered vehicles, machines & equipment
___   zero waste in the kitchen
X      serve local bottled water, bottles are recycled
X      cleaning products are biodegradable
X      compost organic matter
Other methods to recycle waste?
X      Food scraps are given to animals (dogs, rabbit)
X      a variety of items (corks, bottle caps, match boxes, etc.) are collected and given
to school for arts and crafts

Level 1 = four or fewer recycling activities

Level 2 = five recycling activities

Level 3 = six recycling activities

Level 4 = seven recycling activities

Level 5 = eight or more recycling activities.  In addition, there are written sustainability policies or environmental management systems to: (1) monitor and record recycling and waste; (2) test and apply additional recycling and waste conservation methods; and (3) work towards specific recycling and waste targets.

Attach a copy of your policies if you achieve Recycling and Waste Level 5 (required).

Your Recycling and Waste Level (select 1 – 5): 5 

Eco Rating Tamarind Tree Land and nature conservation

Check all that apply:

X         minimize tree removal when building
X         use only botanical (plant-based) herbicides & pesticides in garden & grounds
___      maintain organic gardens as food source for resort
X         use biodegradable cleaning products
X         minimize external illumination
___      take additional specific actions to preserve the local habitat.  Please list actions and projects:

Level 1: one or two land and nature conservation activities

Level 2: three land and nature conservation activities

Level 3: four land and nature conservation activities

Level 4: five land and nature conservation activities

Level 5: six or more land and nature conservation activities.  In addition, there are written sustainability policies or environmental management systems to: (1) monitor and record land and nature conservation activities; (2) test and apply additional land and nature conservation methods; and (3) work towards specific land and nature conservation targets.

Attach a copy of your policies if you achieve Land and Nature Conservation Level 5 (required).

Your Land and Nature Conservation Level (select 1 – 5): 3

Eco Rating Tamarind Tree Community

This category addresses policies and activities regarding staff, guests, suppliers and other members of the community.

Check all activities that apply:

X         hire staff residing near the resort          89%             local nationals
X         use local suppliers                                100% purchased goods produced locally
X         re-invest resort income locally            100% income re-invested locally
X         pay above local prevailing wage
X         pay into local social security
___  provide health insurance or coverage
X         use regular staff meetings to educate staff about sustainable processes throughout the resort, in the garden, with waste disposal, etc
___  provide educational awareness programs for staff, guests, suppliers and other members of the local community
X  provide sustainable transport to work for staff
___  take additional specific actions to support the local community. Please list actions and projects.

Level 1: one or two community activities

Level 2: three to five community activities

Level 3: six to seven community activities

Level 4: eight to nine community activities

Level 5: ten or more community activities.  In addition, there are written sustainability policies or environmental management systems to: (1) monitor and record community activities; (2) test and apply additional methods to support the community; and (3) work towards specific community targets.

Attach a copy of your policies if you achieve Community Level 5 (required).

Your Community Level (select 1 – 5): 3

YOUR OVERALL ECO SCORE (add your level for each category and divide by 5and enter the result with the decimal point, e.g. 3.6): 3.6

We have three final questions which are not part of the eco rating: 

• Please describe your single most important eco achievement:

The overall consistency of our eco-friendly management of the hotel and restaurant from day one up to date and ongoing and the continuous research of more opportunities to make our operations environmentally safe.

• Indicate additional sustainable practices that you plan to institute within the next 6 months.

Photovoltaic power plant for the premises

• Is there anything else you would like to add to this eco rating?

No trained staff is available in Dominica. Therefore we train all our employees from scratch. There is very little turn over in staff at our business.
Everything that is available locally we buy it locally; i.e. our hotel room furniture has been manufactured from local wood by the village carpenter.
We use local products in the restaurant, incl. meat and poultry. We may add a few regional products that are not locally available year round.