Addu Conservation Trust Fund received MVR 800,000 last year

Addu City Council's annual report showed that Addu Conservation Trust Fund received MVR 800,000 last year.

The Addu Conservation Trust Fund was established on May 15, 2022, to cover maintenance costs for protected sites in Addu City under the Decentralization of Administrative Areas Act, including those designated as part of the UNESCO "Man and Biosphere Reserve.

According to the annual report, the services of the Addu Nature Park earned MVR 377,648 while an additional MVR 500,000 was received from the Greem Fund, totalling the figure to MVR 877,648.

The maintenance and other expenses of Addu Nature Park were estimated at MVR 980,935 last year, but according to the report, it only amounted up to MVR 355,492.

The council had estimated an expense of MVR 862,329 from the Green Fund, but had only spent MVR 299,320. Money generated from the fund was used to purchase two buggies and fans for the visitor's centre of the nature park.

Last year, the renovation work of the nature park included decking the bird observations points of the park and toilet area of the visitor's centre, and repairingthe outdoor classrooms, Bedhi area's canoe jetty and benches in the Koattey area. The report included completion of the barbecue station, renovation of information boards and procurement of materials for the administrative operation of the nature park as expenses as well.

According to the report, by 2023, the fund had a balance of MVR 1.2 million and in 2024, the total amount was MVR 1.85 million.