Many international race regattas focus on leaving no impact behind, but the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta aims to bring long-lasting and positive environmental impact to the island. The 43rd edition of this famous regatta will leave a growing reminder from every participating team, thanks to their mangrove planting initiative on Tuesday, February 28, from 8:00am until 1:00pm. Come join the sailors and help plant more than 100 mangrove trees. Don’t miss this opportunity to plant your own mangrove!
“The aim is to plant at least 100 mangrove trees, representing one per boat entered at the event, to leave a positive impact on the island,” said Regatta Director Michele Korteweg. Working closely with Nature Foundation St. Maarten and EPIC (Environmental Protection in the Caribbean), the trees have been grown from locally sourced seeds.
Regatta competitors are encouraged to take part in the mangrove planting, which will take place in two sessions: Tuesday, February 28 (just days before the Regatta starts) and Saturday, March 11, with community volunteer program SXM DOET. Further donations received at the event will enable even more trees to be planted.
Leslie Hickerson, Manager of Nature Foundation St. Maarten, explained that planting mangroves are vital to help revitalize the St. Maarten coastal environment, which is still recovering from the effects of Hurricane Irma.
“Mangroves are incredibly beneficial to the environment. They act as fish nursery and breeding grounds, reduce the impact of storm surge on coastlines, help mitigate climate change by acting as carbon sinks, and much more. Unfortunately, because they are mainly found in coastal areas, development on the lagoon and the beaches of St. Maarten has caused many of these incredible species to have been removed. EPIC’s mangrove restoration program at Little Key has been incredibly successful. We are excited to help continue their hard work by adding new plants to the area,” said Hickerson.
Regatta sponsors Re/Max and Flow also support the cultivation and planting of the new mangrove trees and committing to future programs. “Re/Max is proud to be able to support this community effort made by the Regatta through this exciting Mangrove Planting program. We have been involved as a sponsor for several years, so when we were approached about this new initiative, we jumped on board. Mangroves are extremely important to the environment and imagine the contribution by making this a recurring event, adding 100+ seedlings a year,” said Mike Disch, Owner/Broker Re/Max St. Maarten.
“We are excited to be joining such a great program as Flow recognizes the importance of protecting and preserving the beauty of our island. Preserving and enhancing the natural environment of our island is of critical importance for our future generations – and as a company, we’ve committed ourselves to operating responsibly and sustainably. Support to environmental regeneration programs such as this one is an important part of our commitment to the health of the planet,” said Flow Statutory Director, Rauf Engels.
This initiative is just part of a whole program of community engagement and environmental protection organized by St. Maarten Heineken Regatta.
To help mangrove tree planting on Tuesday, February 28, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The event will start at 8:00am at the Yacht Club. Unfortunately, the SXM DOET mangrove planting event is full. Any individuals or companies interested in donating to the Mangrove planting project with Nature Foundation can contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
