Operation Discovery Tree
October 14, 2022, Discovery Bay, Jamaica: Discovery Bauxite has planted 95,200 trees on its journey to achieve a targeted 200,000 trees in support of the Prime Minister’s National Tree Planting programme. This initiative is also part of the company’s larger Operation Discovery Tree programme which was launched in late 2021 to expand the positive environmental impacts from the company’s ongoing tree planting, greenhouses, aquaponics, and other reclamation initiatives.
One of the highlights of this initiative took place on Labour Day, when some 150 community residents joined with over 100 Discovery Bauxite employees to plant over 15,000 fruit and lumber trees across three locations in the company’s mining areas.
The Operation Discovery Tree project has been welcomed by CEO & Chief Conservator of Forests, Ainsley Henry, who has described the project as, “mining finding common ground with forestry”. He also added that “Discovery Bauxite is a strong supporter of the Prime Minister’s planting initiative and that the project bolsters the Forestry Department’s objectives”. The Forestry Department has donated several thousand trees to this programme and will work closely with Discovery Bauxite in the development of their new Operation Discovery Tree Nursery.
Discovery Bauxite’s Vice President & Country Manager, Delroy Dell commented “Discovery Bauxite pledges its continued commitment to carrying out itsmining activities in a manner that includes the protection and preservation of Jamaica’s forest reserves, heritage sites, and water tables. Dell added “this initiative is part of a larger and ongoing programme of developing new forestry areas while continuing to build on our long and strong history as a leader inland reclamation and rehabilitation into agricultural lands, green houses, water catchment, housing and other improvements for communities in and around our mining areas.”
Community leaders and residents also praised the tree planting as a means of offering better food security through the thousands of fruit trees being planted. The variety of trees planted includes ackees, jackfruit, apples, dissy, pimento, cedar, blue mahoe, mahogany and moringa, with citrus, mango, avocado and breadfruit to be added to the mix shortly.
About Discovery Bauxite: Discovery Bauxite Partners is the Discovery Bay, Jamaica based bauxite mining partnership of Atlantic Alumina LLC affiliateDiscovery Bauxite and Jamaica Bauxite Mining Limited.
About Atlantic Alumina: Atlantic Alumina’s holdings include its ATALCO Gramercy Operations, located in Gramercy, Louisiana, which produces smelter grade alumina for the production of aluminum and chemical grade aluminas for non-metallurgical applications, and Discovery Bauxite, located in St. Ann, Jamaica, which mines and ships bauxite globally for metallurgical and non-metallurgical applications through the Discovery Bauxite Partners operation in Jamaica.Atlantic Alumina is principally owned by Concord Resources Limited.
About Concord Resources: Concord Resources is a global resources company founded in 2015 by its management and a group of experienced natural resources investors to build a business focused on supply chain and risk management of non-ferrous metals and associated raw materials. Concord is headquartered in London with representative offices in New York, Connecticut, and Hong Kong.