Thursday, April 18, 2024
As Earth Day, April 22, 2024, approaches, Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort is enhancing its commitment to environmental stewardship with new initiatives. The Resort emphasizes its golf course certification as an Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary, demonstrating its dedication to preserving natural habitats, and announces the appointment of a dedicated landscape horticulturist.
Ravello Introduces New Herb Garden
The Il Giardino Della Riviera Italiana is a new organic Italian Riviera-style herb garden located on Ravello restaurant’s al fresco terrace. The herb garden boasts a variety of aromatic herbs, including basil, rosemary, thyme, mint, marjoram and sage. The fresh herbs will be incorporated into Ravello’s modern Italian recipes, enhancing the Resort’s culinary offerings while promoting sustainability through local sourcing. “I am very excited for our team to begin using these fresh herbs grown on site in many of our dishes,” notes Executive Chef Fabrizio Schenardi.
Deliberate Landscape Architecture and Supervision
Four Seasons Resort Orlando has appointed Mark Russell as Landscape Horticulturist. Russell, formerly leading sustainability initiatives at Cherrylake Inc., brings a wealth of experience in designing, installing, and maintaining gardens with native Florida plants. His expertise will be crucial in implementing sustainable landscaping practices at the Resort.
“It’s an honour to be part of an organization that loves and cares so much about our planet, and I’m grateful to work with a wide range of Florida native plants that support and revive our ecosystems,” says Russell.
Russell’s strong commitment to environmental sustainability led him to become certified as an arborist and horticultural professional, specializing in tree risk assessment. His extensive knowledge of trees and plants is invaluable to Four Seasons, with the Resort boasting 114 plant species and over 1,140 trees, along with 927 palms and 72,000 shrubs/ground covers. This rich landscaping enhances the environment and provides a beautiful setting for native wildlife.
Beekeeping Program
Four Seasons Resort Orlando has launched a new beekeeping program, installing four beehives in a dedicated area near the golf course. The program aims to support local ecosystems by boosting bee populations. By nurturing bees with nectar plants native to Central Florida, including saw palmetto, the Resort hopes to harvest honey abundantly.
“Our focus on sustainability reflects our commitment to making a positive impact on the environment,” says Adrien Harel, Resort Manager at Four Seasons Resort Orlando. “Through initiatives such as our herb garden and beekeeping program, we aim to not only enhance the guest experience, but also promote biodiversity and conservation efforts.”
The honey from the hives will be used in various desserts, cocktails, breakfast dishes, and more around the Resort. Eventually, the Resort plans to use the honey in The Spa’s signature Healing Honey Treatment, which currently features local Winter Garden Honey Co. honey.
Four Seasons Golf and Sports Club Orlando
Tranquilo Golf Course at Four Seasons Golf and Sports Club Orlando receives its Audubon Sanctuary certification annually, largely due to the team’s efforts to create a welcoming, natural habitat for wildlife. For example, the team has installed 18 birdhouses on the course, enabling nesting by bird species like bald eagles, osprey, great horned owls, eastern screech owls, and purple martins. Deer and turtles are also commonly seen along the golf course. In addition to habitat conservation and wildlife management, the team focuses on water conservation and quality, as well as environmental planning. The pristine golf course’s wooded location sets it apart in Central Florida, and access is restricted to registered resort guests and members of Four Seasons Golf and Sports Club Orlando.
Tree Planting
Every year, Four Seasons Resort Orlando plants a tree on the property to celebrate Earth Day. This year, the team plans to plant eight yaupon holly trees. These trees are known for producing tiny, sweet-smelling, nectar-filled white flowers on separate male and female plants during spring. The small, vibrant green leaves of the yaupon holly are a vital food source for butterfly larvae, while their flowers attract pollinators such as bees and butterflies. In the fall, fertilized female shrubs produce bright red drupes that last through winter, providing essential sustenance for small mammals and songbirds.
Four Seasons Resort Orlando is dedicated to sustainability, with initiatives including recycling stations, refillable water bottle hydration stations, a water conservation program through the laundry department, the elimination of single-use plastic straws and cups, energy-saving building systems, and electric vehicle charging stations for guest use.
Wednesday, May 1, 2024
