24 jul

Studio Sawmill VOF

Studio Sawmill is a beautiful and modern short stay apartment in a vibrant neighborhood close tot the historic city center of Utrecht, Netherlands. It is situated on the ground floor in a house that was built in 1910. In 2008 it is completely renovated and renewed. The surface of the indoor living area is 65 m2. A garden (38 m2) with veranda is attached to the sunroom. The appartement is decorated with Dutch Design furniture. The Studio is awarded with a 9 average by customers since 2014. For more information: https://www.facebook.com/studiozaagmolen/

21 mrt

Mabira Forest Lodge Uganda

In Uganda there is a small rainforest under pressure near Kampala. The Mukono area is around 1600 hectares. Our own company, Mabira Forest lodge has been developed in this rainforest. The resort can accommodate 50 guests. It has a restaurant and a small swimming pool overlooking the pristine nature. We have targeted a growing group of travellers, tourists, and businessmen and women. People with a conscience who want to enjoy the full potential of a tropical destination without having a negative impact on the people and the planet. This has worked; the lodge still welcomes many tourists every year.

The community in Mukono consists of around 25.000 people. It is a mix of different tribes. They live from agriculture, handicrafts, tree felling and entrepreneurship. Mabira Forest Lodge became also a flywheel for ecological, early circular, social and economic development in the region. It was the driver of transformation to a new economy. We built a new ecosystem in cooperation with many different stakeholders. This was based on a shared vision for the area, our common ground.

The flywheel for integrated transformation became a model we called ‘COOLRegion’. We developed this with Wageningen UR in NL, Forest Trends USA, Ashoka and Kampala University in Uganda. The World Bank noticed the progress we had made in Uganda and invited us to present the lodge and COOLRegion in Washington DC.

02 mrt

Country Estate Groot Marienbosch

Country Estate Landgoed Groot Marienbosch, 823 hectares, is situated in Commewijne, 30 minutes from Paramaribo, Surinam. It is an old cacao, orange plantation with a traditional country house, which was built in 1749. Many animals can be found on the plantation, like monkeys, special birds and many butterflies’. On this country estate sustainable tourism, wellness is combined with ” green” development. Agriculture that is suitable on the partly salty ground of the country estate. University of Wageningen but also islands like Texel in the Netherlands have experience in growing “green” on salty ground. Large-scale forestry is not possible. 100%Zomer was the entrepreneur; co-founder, co-owner and statutory director.

17 mrt

Hacienda La Esperanza Country Estate, Costa Rica

Hacienda la Esperanza in Costa Rica is a beautiful unique country estate initiated by Forest Returns (www.forestreturns.com) and acquired with a group of investors. This is a sustainable country estate situated at Peninsula Nicoya, near Tambor in Costa Rica. The company is situated on 1035 hectares of land. The income is created by CO2 compensation projects, teak wood and tourism. There are several authentic houses on the Hacienda that are currently rented to network partners of Forest Returns. Hacienda La Esperanza is part of the largest blue zone in the world! After identifying 5 of the world’s Blue Zones, National Geographic took teams of scientists to each location. To identify lifestyle characteristics that might explain longevity. They found that the lifestyles of all Blue Zones residents shared nine specific characteristics.

17 mrt

Danpaati River Lodge, Surinam

In the deep jungle of Surinam, Boven Suriname, Danpaati River Lodge is situated. It supports regional healthcare and sustainable regional development. The sustainable lodge, Danpaati River Lodge, can host 50 guests. The lodge has been transformed from a basic to a mid level sustainable luxury resort during the years. The lodge experienced an increased occupancy rate and is self-supporting since 2007. The lodge is able to finance around 50% of the healthcare project. Both the lodge and the healthcare project are classified under Foundation Bonama. Bonama cooperates with 12 villages. It provides home care and runs family houses (a combination of child and elderly day care).

17 mrt

Solar electric transport, Surinam

Solar electric transport is an upcoming transport product around the world. The TU Delft co-developed the technology for our Dutch team at the solar challenge in Australia. The product “solar-electric trains” are already in use in the Netherlands, in various cities. We got in touch with the factory in Limburg that produces and invented the “trains”. Their vehicles have many advantages since around 50% of the energy is derived from solar. That was 4 times more as average in the world than. We planned to start in Surinam, were 100% Zomer and the other co-entrepreneurs have an extensive network. An intention declaration for cooperation with the Marriott and one other upmarket hotel in Paramaribo was signed. The trains would be used as a shuttle service, to and from the airport and as a branded sightseeing vehicle.

07 mrt

Grenada, integrated sustainable island building

Grenada is an island that is part of the Caricom. This is an organization like the EU in the Caribbean. Grenada is also known as the “Island of Spice” because of the production of nutmeg and mace crops of which Grenada is one of the world’s largest exporters. Its size is 344 square kilometers (133 sq. mi), with an estimated population of 110,000. Surinam is also part of the Caricom a country in which 100% Zomer has developed several businesses in Surinam. Besides that 100% Zomer transformed several (secluded) areas in Surinam into integrated sustainable micro economies.