The award-winning actor Leonardo DiCaprio is a well-known environmentalist, supporting various eco-minded non-profits. And now he’s diving into the hospitality game with the announcement of a new green resort in Belize. As reported by The New York Times, DiCaprio bought up Blackadore Caye, a wild, 104-acre island which he refers to as “heaven on earth,” in 2005. DiCaprio has teamed up with New York developer Paul Scialla to build an environmentally friendly resort called “Blackadore Caye, a Restorative Island.”
The idea is to restore the island to its natural state, as it’s been harmed by overfishing, erosion and mangrove deforestation. In so doing, they’ll also create a paradise for visitors to “restore” and rejuvenate amidst villas and turquoise pools. Slated to open in 2018, the resort will be the result of intensive study by a team of designers, scientists and landscape designers. There will be a manatee conservation area, a nursery to grow indigenous grasses and artificial reefs to both nurture fish and serve as architectural support for the 68 guest villas.
As quoted in The New York Times, DiCaprio explained, “The main focus is to do something that will change the world. I couldn’t have gone to Belize and built on an island and done something like this, if it weren’t for the idea that it could be groundbreaking in the environmental movement.”
Rendering of the resort via McLennan Design