The BNT Fund Welcomes Arki Busson and Mark Dowley as Board Members
Hank Ferguson, BNT Council Member, Mark Dowley, Newly Appointed BNT Fund Board Member, Anna Bancroft, BNT Director of Development, Geoff Andrews, BNT President, and Eric Carey, BNT Executive Director, sign BNT and BrilandAid MOU. (Arpad “Arki” Busson not pictured)
August 29th, 2022 – Nassau, Bahamas
The Bahamas National Trust Fund, Inc. (BNT Fund) is pleased to announce the appointment of generous supporters Arpad “Arki” Busson and Mark Dowley as directors of its board. The BNT Fund is a U.S. 501(c)3 charitable organization that pursues advancement opportunities abroad to support the mission and critical programming of The Bahamas National Trust.
Mark and Arki are the founders of Briland Aid, a nonprofit organization created in response to the Covid-19 pandemic to inspire hope and preserve the people, culture, and beauty of Harbour Island. Briland Aid seeks to build and strengthen meaningful relationships between Harbour Islanders and the many individuals who have now made the island their second home. They have contributed to the cleanup and beautification of the community; the proper sorting of the island’s dump; the removal of invasive species and “rewilding” of public and private spaces with native plants.
The BNT has partnered with Briland Aid in the past several years to accomplish a common mandate that improves the quality of the environment and life on Harbour Island. Together with the in-house expertise of the Leon Levy Native Plant Preserve, we did this by enhancing several key sites on the island and reintroducing native botanicals and establishing walking trails. Later, in 2021, we collaborated on the “Love’s Coming Back” campaign to spread hope and love throughout The Bahamas in the midst of the global pandemic. We also signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signifying our continued partnership for the benefit of Bahamians. In this regard, the appointment of Briland Aid’s founders to the BNT Fund board is an appropriate advancement that both celebrates and exemplifies their commitment to The Bahamas, its people, and the environment.
Arki and Mark have demonstrated consistent support for the BNT through personal giving and our Briland Aid partnership. Now as part of the BNT Fund board, they will be active participants in development opportunities that will adequately resource the organization. This work is essential towards enabling the BNT to effectively do its job of managing and safeguarding national parks throughout The Bahamas. Ensuring a sustainable future is vital for the National Park System that presently exists and also for its expansion of protected areas in destinations like Harbour Island and mainland Eleuthera.
We thank Mark and Arki for their continued support and their demonstrated commitment to the environment and people of The Bahamas. We readily and excitedly welcome them as board members of the BNT Fund.
To learn more about the role the BNT plays to manage terrestrial and marine national parks, protect species that inhabit them, and inform environmental policy, please visit its website: www.bnt.bs and follow/subscribe to various social media channels: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
Arpad “Arki” Busson, Newly Appointed BNT Fund Board Member and Co-Founder of BrilandAid
Mark Dowley, Newly Appointed BNT Fund Board Member and Co-Founder of BrilandAid.
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Media Contact: Leah Carr | lcarr@bnt.bs | (242) 429-7902
About the BNT:
The Bahamas National Trust (BNT) was created by an Act of Parliament in 1959 to build and manage the national park system of The Bahamas. Possibly the only non-governmental organization in the world charged with such a responsibility, the BNT works daily to conserve and protect the natural resources of The Bahamas through stewardship and education for present and future generations. There are currently 32 National Parks managed by the BNT with more than 2 million acres of marine and terrestrial areas protected.