The Strand Turks and Caicos Named Butterfly Pavilion’s First International Pollinator Sanctuary
PROVIDENCIALES, Turks and Caicos — The Strand Turks and Caicos has been named Butterfly Pavilion’s first international Certified Pollinator Sanctuary, a designation recognizing the resort’s work to preserve native habitat and support pollinators in a coastal island ecosystem.
The certification reflects a broader effort by the resort to integrate conservation into its development and operations. Pollinators play an important role in island ecosystems by supporting native plants, food sources for wildlife and environmental resilience, particularly in places where species diversity can be limited.
The Strand is a luxury resort and real estate development on Cooper Jack Bay in Providenciales. It is part of The Leading Hotels of the World network.
Butterfly Pavilion, a Westminster, Colo.-based nonprofit, is an invertebrate zoo focused on conservation, research and education. It is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
The certification follows work that began prior to The Strand’s development. Butterfly Pavilion scientists first visited the property in July 2022 to survey and assess the ecosystem, documenting macropollinators, flowering plants and nesting habitats across the site.
During the five stages of construction, The Strand worked with Landscaping by EA and followed recommendations from Butterfly Pavilion to preserve natural vegetation, incorporate native plant species and limit the effects of the shoreline development on the coastal ecosystem.
The property also has solar integration that provides more than 60% of its power.
“Becoming Butterfly Pavilion’s first international Certified Pollinator Sanctuary is an incredible milestone for The Strand and reinforces our vision of creating a luxury resort that exists in harmony with its natural surroundings,” said John Fair, developer and managing director of The Strand. “Building sustainably and respecting our environment was at the forefront of development from day one.”
When the Butterfly Pavilion conducted a follow-up survey in December 2025, scientists found a substantial increase in pollinator activity and diversity across the property. More than four times as many pollinators and other flower-visiting insects were recorded than in 2022. The number of pollinator-associated families also increased from 15 to 24.
The survey also documented populations not recorded in 2022: native bees, butterflies, moths, wasps, flies and beetles, as well as several pollinator families. Butterfly Pavilion said the results reflected improved habitat quality, floral diversity and landscape connectivity.
Pollinator Sanctuary Certification is renewed every five years based on follow-up surveys and continued conservation of pollinator habitat.
“Pollinators don’t recognize borders, and neither does impactful conservation. Our partnership with The Strand is proof that world-class hospitality and environmental responsibility aren’t at odds; in fact, they reinforce each other,” said Ryan Welch, president and CEO of Butterfly Pavilion. “Their commitment sets a standard we hope others in the industry will follow.”
The Strand and Butterfly Pavilion also are working to add educational programming for guests. The organizations plan to use Butterfly Pavilion’s iNaturalist project to encourage guests to upload images of pollinators found on the property, contributing to future data collection.
