Karoon believes that a successful project should contribute to an improved quality of life for our people and the communities impacted by our operations. Karoon recognises the importance of establishing transparent relationships with all our stakeholders. We understand that building these relationships from a foundation of respect and integrity, two of our core values, is critical to our goal of delivering safe, reliable and responsible operations.
Project RUMO
Karoon’s operations, located more than 200 kilometres offshore, do not have a day to day impact on onshore communities. However, we work hard to ensure our stakeholders, including our staff, contractors, local communities, regulatory authorities and others, are well informed about our operations.
Karoon is undertaking a major social monitoring project called Project RUMO, in the Itajaí region, where our shorebase is located. The acronym RUMO is the same in Portuguese and English and stands for ‘Resilience and Union for Marine Organization’. The project seeks to investigate the use of the maritime zone and the coastal space of the Itajaí-Açu River estuary, where there are risks posed by the interaction of small and large vessels. The valuable information collected will be used to help plan for safe and economically efficient use of the river going forward. https://projetorumo.com.br/en/
Creating Sustainable Economic Opportunities in Local Communities
Pró-CREP (Create, Recycle, Educate, Preserve) is a social environmental project that provides work with steady income to 64 families in socially vulnerable situations. In addition, Pró-CREP aims to protect the environment by raising awareness of the correct methods of recycling by building and supplying recycling containers to be installed in the communities that are located around the border of the Serra do Tabuleiro State Park.
The Pró-CREP facilities include a Container Production Workshop and a waste recycling centre which provides equipment for waste to be repurposed and a small retail area where recycled goods are sold. The Container Production Workshop will initially produce 50 large recycling units. These containers facilitate the segregation of solid waste so that as much as possible can be recycled.
They will be placed at various locations in communities around the border of the park to reduce waste in and around the park. Community education services regarding the proper recycling of waste will be provided to local communities to ensure the bins are used correctly.
It is estimated that through Karoon’s participation in the project, the amount of solid waste going to landfill in the local area will reduce by approximately 25 tonnes per month.
The income generated from the sale of containers will be used to increase production and ensure the project is sustainable, with a view to expanding to include at least 12 more families during financial year 2023.
Protecting Indigenous and Traditional Culture
The Atelie Tabuleiro project aims to raise awareness of local indigenous culture and traditions by providing educational tours of the Serra do Tabuleiro State Park focussed on traditional practices associated with food and medicinal plants from the Atlantic Forest. A range of art, culture, and science experiences will be offered to promote indigenous culture and practices associated with biodiversity. The project contributes to the strengthening of social relations, community-based tourism, resilience, and food security. It is aiming to reach more than 500 students aged 7 to 16 from local schools and a further 100 adults from local communities through weekend and school holiday workshop programs focused on:
- Food plants from the Atlantic Forest: flavours and knowledge.
- Medicinal plants: traditional use
The results of the workshops will provide input to a scientific educational e-book and will be used to prepare a cultural exhibition at the Visitors Centre of the Serra do Tabuleiro State Park.
Protecting Biodiversity
Santa Catarina’s native guinea pig, Cavia Intermedia, also known as Preá de Moleques do Sul, is currently only found in the Moleques do Sul Archipelago, (contained within the Serra do Tabuleiro State Park) and is listed as Critically Endangered. Karoon is sponsoring an Environmental Education Program for the conservation of Cavia Intermedia. The program aims to increase knowledge and awareness of the plight of the guinea pig and assist in controlling park access to help ensure people using the park do so responsibly, and minimise any impacts on the native habitat.
The project encourages local communities to become more involved in the conservation effort through an education program in public schools. Karoon will provide certified training courses for 100 biology teachers about the importance of protecting habitats for biodiversity, along with learning materials to reach approximately 1,600 local students. A “Preá Centre” will be created at each school to encourage them to produce their own projects. Karoon is offering to award the best 10 projects with a “Preá” kit and field trip by boat to the island. A range of socioenvironmental events are also planned.
Karoon is also intending to sponsor the publication and release of approximately 5,000 copies of a book about the history of Cavia Intermedia’s discovery and the conservation efforts, along with thousands of posters, folders, banners and videos provided to 30 marinas and 9 fishing associations.
Music and Citizenship Project
Karoon is providing sponsorship to a cultural program through a Music and Citizenship project located in Rio de Janeiro and in Florianopolis, in the region of Karoon’s area of influence. The Music and Citizenship project is provided across a network of music schools within disadvantaged communities. The project enables hundreds of children and young people who would otherwise not have access to a musical education the opportunity to learn to play musical instruments. The students also participate in citizenship classes, where they play, create, and reflect on themes of life in society.
