The James Michel Foundation expresses support for world’s first Conservation Boot Camp |20 May 2017

The James Michel Foundation has expressed support for Nature Seychelles’ implementation of the world’s first Conservation Boot Camp, a unique and exclusive immersive conservation learning programme based on Cousin Island Special Reserve, one of the world’s great conservation success stories.

The expression of support came out when Seychelles’ former President James Michel, who is the Patron of the Foundation, met Dr Nirmal Jivan Shah, the chief executive of Nature Seychelles, the largest and oldest nature conservation NGO operating in the Seychelles.

The meeting took place on Thursday at Espace building.

The Conservation Boot Camp is a great opportunity for young people, over the age of 18, who wish to bolster their career in conservation or others who wish to take a break from their desk job and experience conservation of a tropical island paradise.

Participants will gain much coveted practical experience “learning by doing” with field staff and researchers on a world renowned and award-winning protected area.

Mr Michel commended Nature Seychelles for its outstanding work in nature conservation as well as developing the concept of the Blue Economy.

Mr Michel and Dr Shah also discussed the ways the James Michel Foundation could assist Nature Seychelles in the promotion of education and training in the field of Blue Economy, nature conservation and sustainable development, through its scholarship programme.

Dr Shah has been instrumental in developing the Seychelles Blue Economy model and helped set up the first large-scale coral reef restoration project in the Indian Ocean region in 2010.

Dr Shah was recently appointed the chairman of the Seychelles Fishing Authority.

He was formerly the assistant director of Fisheries Research at the SFA, the director of the Seychelles Conservation and National Parks service as well as the managing director of an environmental firm, ENVIRO where he worked on projects covering almost every aspect of environmental management. He was the coordinator of the Seychelles National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan process and of the Environmental Management Plan of Seychelles 2000-2010. He has worked for international organisations such as the World Bank, IUCN, UNEP, Sida and Unesco.