UniSey students engaged in forest rehabilitation on Praslin |07 January 2021
The GOS/AF/UNDP EbA project organised a field trip for students following the BSc Environmental Science Programme at the University of Seychelles (UniSey).
The activity took place from December 11-13, 2020 and saw the participation of nine students accompanied by a lecturer, Dr Daniel Etongo.
This is in line with the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the EbA project and the UniSey with a convergence of will to actively involve UniSey students and faculty members in the implementation of long-term research and monitoring programmes.
TRASS organised some hands-on activities over the two days to develop skills and knowledge on forest rehabilitation techniques.
On Saturday December 12, the students participated in a tree planting activity at Pasquere, an area burnt over 30 years ago and left bare and eroded with few to no trees. A total of about 400 plants were planted alongside other volunteers.
The following day the students learned how to construct an erosion control experiment used in monitoring soil loss at Anse la Blague. After that, the team continued with the planting of two native species namely ‘lantannyen milpat’ and ‘agati’. The participating students report on their experience from the field activities.
“I am used to doing tree planting with EbA project. It is always a pleasure to engage with new people sharing the same love for conservation. I am grateful that through the project we could create such wonderful opportunities for future environmentalists. It was a worthwhile experience and I wish that more people (Praslin communities) will lend a helping hand to restore Praslin’s forests.”
Rajelle Barbe (3rd Year, BSc Environmental Science student/EbA Community Engagement Specialist
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“This was the first time I was able to experience a trip like this alongside my school mates and professor. The task seemed easy upon demonstration, however the scorching sun made it a little challenging. The overall experience was noteworthy and fruitful as it provided me with new knowledge on how to go about certain practical work and field studies.”
Maryssa Samedi (1st Year, BSc Environmental Science student)
“By participating in planting more than 40 endemic species on Saturday December 12, 2020, I learned new techniques on how to handle the juvenile plants because their roots are still fragile at this stage and how to place them correctly in the dirt as well as building a small barricade to prevent them from abiotic threat such as heavy rain. Constructing an erosion control set-up was really energy demanding, but overall, it was a fantastic experience where knowledge and ideas where shared during the weekend field trip.”
Larrisha Serret (1st Year, BSc Environmental Science student)
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“As a first-year student, I felt like the trip was a stepping stone to what we’re going to experience for the next 3 years and I was inspired by the community engaging in the development of their island. I've learned first-hand about the importance of forest rehabilitation, the planting techniques and how to handle the plants. Also, the household surveys on community participation on forest rehabilitation (led by Miss Rajelle Barbe of EbA project) enhanced our understanding of the relationship between the community and the environment. For example, the causes of forest fires. The best part of it was that the survey helped me step out of my comfort zone and engaged more with the people. It was a great experience.
Alisha Belle (1st Year, BSc Environmental Science student)
“The field trip for me was a great experience, especially for surveys, as it allowed me to improve on my communication skills, and the people themselves made it easier for us as they were very welcoming. As for the TRASS project, thanks to Dr Elvina's guidance and the UniSey students, as well as the Acajou Hotel team, we managed to do a great deal of rehabilitation planting of endemic palm species and other endemic plants such as Bwa Mon Per. Thanks to the EbA project, I think tree planting has now become my new favourite hobby.”
Bianca Marzocchi (2nd Year, BSc Environmental Science student)
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“The TRASS team was very inviting and informative on how to properly plant trees for higher chance of survival and justification on the types of trees planted. This experience has helped my understanding on the severity of land degradation on Praslin and also provided me with hands-on skills to mitigate the negative effects. My participation in the household survey on community engagement in forest rehabilitation made me understand that gathering information from households is somewhat challenging as there are people who are unwilling to participate. However, it has helped me develop more my communication skills and interaction with the community. I feel that this trip has exposed me with the work I will be doing in environmental science as a future career.”
Elgin Créa (1st Year, BSc Environmental Science student)
“Although the activities were challenging, they served as great learning experiences and allowed me to put classroom theory into practice. Saturday morning was dedicated to tree planting on a mountaintop forest land degraded by fire. I was quite shocked to see in some areas what barely remained of the topsoil due to erosion. Dr Elvina Henriette demonstrated the appropriate ways of handling and planting the saplings, which are essential to their health and growth, and which I found very insightful. In addition, it was my first time conducting household surveys, which proved to be quite challenging. However, I tried to remain open-minded and confident throughout. I now have a better insight into the formulation of questionnaires and what is expected during a face-to-face interview, and I definitely intend to improve on my skills.”
Kelly Etienne (2nd Year, BSc Environmental Science student)
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“Personally, this trip was my first time roaming around on Praslin and it was a memorable experience. I got the opportunity to engage with a number of amazing people across different age range. On Saturday we went tree planting on one among other areas ravaged by fire which was at Fond B’Offay. Dr Elvina Henriette also explained to us an erosion control experiment used in monitoring soil loss under different conditions. After the tree planting activity, we continued with household surveys on community engagement in forest rehabilitation. Many people were interested to respond to the questions. However, others were a bit reluctant to participate. With that said it was a good opportunity for us Environmental Science students of UniSey to participate in such an enriching field activity and I am looking forward to such opportunity again.”
Louisette Hoareau (1st Year, BSc Environmental Science student)
“I was fortunate enough to be part of this educational trip to Praslin and it was an amazing and fruitful experience. I gained plenty of knowledge and practical skills that will most definitely be beneficial to my future endeavours. During the surveys I enjoyed interacting with the locals and developing skills that will benefit me in my 3rd year independent research project. I also appreciated participating in the tree-planting activity. Simple activities like this is exactly what we need to mitigate environmental issues arising from fire ravaged sites. The highlight of the trip for me was when we visited a forest site that was burned in August this year. We learned and collectively made a setup to test the degree of soil erosion which was very interesting. Despite the challenging terrain it was a lot of fun.”
Kelsy Gill (2nd Year, BSc Environmental Science student)
Contributed
