Follow us on:

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn YouTube

Archive -Seychelles

Steen Hansen launches a new nature book |07 May 2018

 

Steen G. Hansen, a Danish national who has been residing in Seychelles since 2005, launched in February this year at Le Domaine de La Réserve(Praslin) a book about the ‘Striking Nature of Curieuse Island’ done in collaboration with Victorin F. Laboudallon (Praslin).

However, a few weeks ago came a new and well-written book from his environmental pen. This time about the ‘Tea Factory, its Nature Trail and Morne Blanc’. The 122-page book is illustrated with mainly his photos and has been printed in Denmark to obtain a high quality and attractive product.

This is the fourth book of its kind from Mr Hansen after his masterpiece ‘The Flora of the Seychelles’, which came in a second edition in early 2016.

A more official launch of the ‘Tea Factory’ book is planned to take place in June this year at the Tea Factory itself in Morne Blanc, when it re-opens after renovation works have been completed.

The new ‘Tea Factory’ book tells about the tea factory, its history and the processing of tea, which might be unfamiliar even to locals. And it tells about the interesting nature trail almost next door, highlighting the invasive plants along the first part; then a bit further down the trail about the early, groping forestry efforts after the cinnamon era had faded out; and finally at the end of the trail about the newly restored glacis area, which displays, as we would like to see our nature full of endemic and indigenous plants. Finally, the book takes you by the hand up the Morne Blanc trail and up in the only accessible mist forest on Mahé, and where the remarkable view at the view point pays off for all the struggles all the way up.

Asked about the mission with this latest book as well, Mr Hansen points out that the purpose with all four books after the Flora is to serve as an eye-opener for first-time visitors.

“Our tropical nature is exciting but complex and dense and might be difficult even for locals to enter and obtain a first-hand impression,” said Mr Hansen.

He would be happy “if the books might serve either to recall the good memories from the visit to the Seychelles”, but also if the “books can open up for a more complete and involved awareness of the precious but vulnerable nature, we have in the country, since without a public back-up, conservation efforts will just soon turn into a blind way”.

And as Vice-President Vincent Meriton writes in the book preface: “I believe that this passionately and well-written book will not only serve as an extended souvenir of the Tea Factory, but will also contribute to a better understanding of our heritage and will support the national conservation efforts and the protection of our national park as well”.

Asked about the future, Mr Hansen could discretely tell that a similar book about the Botanical Garden in Victoria and one about the Royal Spice Garden at Anse Royale are well in the pipeline.

Seychelles NATION wishes Mr Hansen all the best with these upcoming projects. 

 

 

 

» Back to Archive