Why Praslinois should lead conservation on their island |12 March 2012

Praslinois replanting trees at Pointe Chevalier

History has revealed that over the past 40 years Pointe Chevalier on Praslin Island has suffered from severe forest fires. This has caused soil erosion and habitat loss of many species of plants and animals.

And the natural regeneration has not been successful. A total of 18 Praslinois from all walks of life were very optimistic to get themselves involved in a pilot project.

This has come after a workshop on the island in December last year oraganised by the Praslin-based Terrestrial Restoration Action Society of Seychelles (Trass).

Trass’ aims to rehabilitate degraded lands received funding from the Global Environment Facility-Small Grant Project carried out by the United Nations Development Programme for a project called ‘Replanting and enhancing community participation in rehabilitation of degraded forest lands: a demonstration project at Pointe Chevalier Praslin.

The project was done under the title ‘Living with the Land or Viv avek Later’. Its objectives are to educate and raise awareness of private landowners and other local communities on forest conservation and rehabilitation, rehabilitate degraded forest lands and engage communities in the implementation of appropriate replanting techniques for rehabilitation and conservation purposes.

Two replanting methods were tried at Pointe Chevalier where participants tested and demonstrated what happens when plants are planted in poor soils as opposed to rehabilitated soils.  About 30 participants took part in the replanting trials. Trass is now looking forward to involve Praslinois landowners and community members to own this project as well as to educate them on replanting and its benefits.

Contributed by Trass