Once in a lifetime chance for six Seychellois to visit Aldabra |14 May 2018

The beautiful Aldabra Atoll is a dream destination and the crown jewel of Seychelles’ protected areas; as part of the soon to be launched Aldabra Clean-Up Project the dream of visiting Aldabra will come true for six lucky Seychellois.

The Seychelles Islands Foundation (SIF) is running a video competition to find these six volunteers.

The Unesco world heritage site is famous for its limestone ‘champignon’ terrain, huge population of giant tortoises and relatively pristine marine life, and as a refuge for many endangered and unique species. It is part of a global biodiversity hotspot and one of the world’s natural wonders. Only a small number of people have ever been there, and even fewer have spent more than a few hours at this wild and beautiful atoll.

Managed by a team of between 10 and 16, SIF staff Aldabra is a platform for scientific research, with long-term monitoring and specific research projects being conducted year-round. Although relatively pristine, Aldabra is facing a world-wide threat; with eight million tonnes of waste entering the ocean each year, plastic and other rubbish is washing up on the beaches of the atoll. Although the Aldabra staff work hard to remove as much waste as possible, the amount of waste washed on shore has become overwhelming for the small team on the atoll. Urgent action is needed to remove this plastic pollution that has been accumulating on Aldabra for decades. This is why SIF is inviting six enthusiastic Seychellois to volunteer for the Aldabra Clean-Up Project.

Working with six international volunteers from the University of Oxford in the UK, the project will involve a five-week clean up event in February/March 2019. In the lead up to the clean-up the team will organise and fundraise for the project. A cargo vessel will be chartered to Aldabra to gather as much plastic and other marine waste as possible – from flip-flops to toothbrushes, fishing nets to water bottles – all to be taken back to Mahé, for proper processing. Whilst undertaking the clean-up, the team will aim to analyse the waste to identify where the plastic has come from and find out just how much this place is impacted by people. More details about the project can be found on the YouTube channel: Seychelles Islands Foundation (SIF).

SIF is looking for volunteers who feel strongly about the impact of plastic on the marine environment. The volunteers do not need to have a background or career in the environment or conservation sectors, but rather a passion for being involved in something that will help change our world for the better and a belief that they can make a difference. As such, this is a chance for every Seychellois to experience Aldabra in a way that does not depend on their professional background, qualifications and skills. The project will involve intensive beach clean-ups on Aldabra with long walks and heavy bags, sometimes on very challenging terrain. Volunteers will need to be physically fit, with no current medical problems. Interested applicants need to be 18 or over before February 2019 and to submit a video application to SIF before May 27. Detailed information on the video-application requirements can be found at the above channel and at www.sif.sc/downloads. For enquiries contact SIF at 2523623.