Our focus at Matava is eco-tourism. We promote the natural environment, both marine and terrestrial and have adopted programmes to avoid damaging our environment. These include conservation awareness, and waste management (recycling) programmes at the resort and with local villages.
There are no power generators at Matava – our lighting is primarily solar, with additional kerosene lanterns if required.
All rubbish is sorted, food waste is fed to local pigs. We compost as much waste as possible. Plastic and glass bottles are recycled.
Please help us to minimise our impact on the environment and don’t litter.
Solar Power
We are a true Eco Resort with multiple international awards for our environmental policies and community activities. We use renewable energy resources wherever possible. Our limited power is developed using solar technology. Paths are deliberately not lit at night as we are one of the few remaining places left on the planet without light pollution as it interferes with the local wildlife (fruit bats, owls, turtles etc)
There is 12V lighting in the bures but not mains power. The bures do not have air conditioning, fridges or fans. Hairdryers are out! Solar generated 240V power is available in our main bure for charging cameras, strobes, laptops etc. It is on all day until early evening. We ask people to help us make use of the available solar power by bringing spare rechargeable batteries so they can use one set, whilst recharging the other set. There are no telephones or power sockets in your bure.
The resort does not operate any main generators, only a small emergency back-up generator for the office should the need arise.
Solar Hot Water
All hot water is generated with heat from the sun. All accommodation is supplied with hot water derived from solar energy.
Organic Farm
We minimise the need to import vegetables with associated transportation carbon emissions by maintaining a large organic garden in the resort grounds. In addition, we supply local village farmers with seeds and then purchase the fruit and vegetables from them. Many fruit trees such as banana and papaya are scattered throught the grounds.
Waste Management
All rubbish is sorted. Food waste is fed to local pigs. We compost as much waste as possible for the organic farm. Plastic and glass bottles are recycled, as are aluminium cans. Batteries and empty aerosol cans are impossible for us to dispose of and we request that guests take these with them to their home country where suitable methods of disposal are available.
Land Management
We leave areas of land around the resort uncultivated to encourage the growth of native wild flowers and ferns. Part of the resort foreshore is naturally a mangrove shoreline and has been left untouched. Mangroves prevent erosion and provide sanctuary to juvenile fish.
No insecticides or herbicides are used on the property. Any plants found around the resort are native to Kadavu or already found on the island. No foreign plant species are brought in to the island
Buildings
All resort building structures are built using locally grown pine or hardwoods planted for that purpose. They are then finished using traditional methods of thatching and palm weaving. We do not use local wild hardwood trees for lumber.
All grey water is piped out to rubble drains for flowers and plants. Bures are designed and orientated to benefit from shade and sea breezes for cooling.
Water
The primary reason for the location of Matava Resort is the abundance of natural spring water. During the drought of 2003, it was one of only two locations on the South of Kadavu island that still had a water supply. The water is naturally filtered through the limestone and is of excellent quality. Nevertheless, rainwater is still collected at certain locations and used to supply the organic garden and suppliment the supply to some of the Oceanview bures.
Staffiing
All resort staff are from local villages. The resort’s annual expenditure is directed, wherever possible, to the local community. Obviously, we do have to import some specialised equipment not manufactured on the island or in Fiji but if we can obtain a product locally, we will do so.
Marine Reserves
Working in conjunction with our neighboring village of Kadavu Koro, we have established a marine reserve from the boundary of the Matava foreshore extending out to encompass the opposite Waya island. This area is protected from any sort of fishing, shell collecting and reef walking.
We have also helped the village of Nacomoto establish a marine reserve in their waters.
Each time we dive there, we make a contribution to the village. This clearly benefits all parties. The diving is superb, the village gets income and the fish have a sanctuary to breed.
Our divers often dive in the Naiqoro Passage marine reserve and we make further contributions to support this initiative.
Our guests are asked to make a small voluntary contribution to these marine reserves when they check-out. This money is used in their support and to promote marine conservation measures taken by our local villages.
Education
Each bure contains an information pack which includes advice on how guests can avoid damaging coral and marine life. The main bure has an extensive reference and information folder on coral reefs and their asociated marine life.
Matava Resort is supporting the efforts of local community school Govourners to have the Fiji national curriculum include a class on marine and terrestrial conservation and sustainable resource management.
