A-list actor Leonardo DiCaprio proves that he is more than just a big name in Hollywood. The lead star of "The Aviator," Leo ---as most fans endearingly call him--- has bought an island called Blackadore Caye to build an eco-friendly resort, reports New York Times.
Blackadore Caye Island can be reached via an hour long journey from Belize City. It starts with a 45-minute boat ride from Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport in Belize City, followed with a quarter an hour boat ride from San Pedro, the island's neighboring town, says the outlet. The island, measuring over one hundred acres of "wild, unpopulated land off the coast of Belize," caught Leo's attention that it was purchased by Leo and his partner when he visited it nearly 10 years ago.
"It was like heaven on earth. And almost immediately, I found this opportunity to purchase an island there, " said Leo in a NY Times phone interview while he was in Los Angeles.
However, the well-known environmental activist remained true to heart. DiCaprio, famed for his lead roles in the 1996 Baz Luhrmann's "Romeo + Juliet" and 1997 James Cameron's "Titanic," does not want this island just for himself, says Fox News. With his advocacy on caring for our environment, "The Blood Diamond" star sees to it that it will be developed in an "eco-conscious and restorative" manner for the island's benefit.
NY Times reports that Blackadore Caye island had ben a victim of overfishing and deforestation of its mangroves. It has also faced harsh conditions like an eroding coastline. According to Juan Rovalo, a biologist studying the island, the caye has been a favorite spot for fishermen for centuries, notes the outlet. These fishermen would often used the mangroves to smoke their fish. In the latter years, even the palm trees that adorn the island were uprooted to serve as live decors of San Pedro's hotels.
"With the onset of climate change, there are huge challenges, so we want the structure to not only enhance and improve the environment, but to be a model for the future," Leo said as reported on Fox News. "That includes restoring the island, creating conservation areas where we can hold research conferences, and regenerating the entire ecosystem to bring it back to its original form and beyond," says Leo.
The villain in "Django Unchained" has chosen Paul Scialla, the chief executive of Delos, a New York City-based developer, as his partner to achieve this eco-resort concept, adds NY Times. The island is set to open in 2018 which will showcase its natural beauty as well as the luxury which guests commonly look for in high-end resorts such as homey villas, relaxing infinity pools and spectacular sunrise and sunset views.
Watch Leo's moving speech in the United Nations Climate Summit in 2014 in New York and scenes from "Rome + Juliet," a movie which cemented him to the hearts and mind of millions of his fervent fans.
