Hotel, NGO team up to protect biodiversity |25 March 2013

One of the outputs of the project is the development of a management plan for the section of the wetland which borders the West Mahé hotel.

Wetlands are protected by law in Seychelles, because they are important ecosystems, providing habitat for many forms of wildlife and in some cases, a source of sustainable livelihoods for people.  Wetlands also help filter and store fresh water, and mangrove wetlands also protect the coast from erosion. The Barbarons wetland in particular is listed as a Class A wetland under the Seychelles National Wetland Conservation and Management Policy of 2005. Class A wetlands have been designated as wetland Reserves by having the same definition under the National Park and Nature Conservancy Act as a strict Nature Reserve which forbids any development activities as well as agriculture, hunting and fishing activities in these areas.

The Barbarons mangrove wetland borders on hotel property, private residences, farms, government land and the BBC station, and in order to ensure that it is well protected and remains a vibrant and healthy ecosystem, all stakeholders need to come together to agree on what needs to be done and how they are willing to help. To this end, a full day workshop was organised earlier this month at Le Meridien Barbarons Hotel to help develop a management plan to improve conservation of the wetland.
 
Participants learnt more about the Barbarons wetland, some of the threats it is facing, and then brainstormed to agree on a course of action to protect it.  The ideas for action will be compiled into a 2 or 3-year management plan for the wetland which will be implemented by the hotel in collaboration with the government, community and other key stakeholders.

Members of the public who are interested in finding more about this project or getting involved should contact Sustainability for Seychelles on tel. 251-9135 or email info@s4seychelles.com.

Contributed