International Day for Biological Diversity – May 22-Ministry to lead activities to mark biodiversity day |20 May 2013

The fair will also ensure that every individual has a body of knowledge and values which can allow them to become aware of their daily reliance on services delivered by biodiversity, explaining that biodiversity has a strong functional connection with other environmental issues.

By virtue of its geographic position, Seychelles is very rich in terms of biodiversity.
Its vast mangrove swamps, coral reefs, aquatic plant habitats all provide vital ecosystem services upon which we depend. Biodiversity is our common heritage and one of the pillars of the functioning of the biosphere, thus the need to understand the important relationship between water and biodiversity as this will lead towards better management and conservation of our water resources. Water determines the distribution, structure and function of organisms in the ecosystem.

Individual ecosystems such as forests, ocean and wetlands all perform specific functions that ensure the survival of life. Besides providing suitable habitats for species, wetlands have important functions such as preventing flooding thus reducing the vulnerability of coastal communities, provide and ensure the continued supply of water, recycle nutrients, purify water, recharge ground water and is used for human recreation hence contributing towards the well-being of humanity.

Nevertheless, our biodiversity and water resources remain highly susceptible to human induced or natural threats such as the spread of invasive alien species, unsustainable use of natural resources, climate change, inappropriate fire regimes, changes to the aquatic environment – drainage, siltation, pollution, reclamation – and water flows through diversion of river channels.
 All of these threats have led to the fragmentation and degradation of these habitats in many parts of the world.

The government, non-governmental organisations, private sectors and the local community are working together to conserve and restore these fragile ecosystems through collaborative approach. Many initiatives such as the designation of protected areas, species action plans, strategies to combat invasive alien species, promotion of practices in favour of biodiversity, awareness raising, appropriate management of wetlands and rivers etc. have been implemented as a result of direct intervention by these partners to reverse unsustainable trends. 

We need best practices that are suitable to protect existing inland water-bodies and willingness from the people to help secure biological resources that are confined to the aquatic ecosystems for future generations, and in doing so sustaining healthy, resilient species and habitats for our own well-being.