National Parks Authority board members named |30 August 2011

Flavien Joubert, a representative from the Department of Environment, has been appointed chairman while Denis Matatiken is the chief executive officer.

The other members are Capt. Jean Atalla (representative of the Seychelles Coast Guard), Roy Clarisse (Seychelles Fishing Authority), Dr. Frauke Dogley (Seychelles Islands Foundation), Dr. Marie-Reine Hoareau (Department of Education/Unesco), and Philomena Hollanda (Seychelles Tourism Board).

The National Parks Authority currently manages both terrestrial and marine protected areas.  On and near Mahe these include the Morne Seychellois National Park, the Baie Ternay Marine National Park, the Port Launay Marine National Park and the Ste Anne Marine National Park.  Within the inner islands there is the Praslin National Park, the Veuve Reserve, Curieuse Marine National Park and the Ile Cocos, Ile La Fouche Ile aux Platte Marine Park.  It is also responsible for the management of all forest plantations.

With the decision by the Seychelles government to increase the total land area under protected status to 50.6%, the new Board will have to guide management towards greater effective management of these protected sites. 

The members come with a wide range of experience and global networking from their respective fields of work, which complement each other.