Seychelles' restored wetland «Dan Sours'» named new site for agroforestry project
An initiative is underway in Seychelles to use the site of «Dan Sours» - the first wetland in the country to be restored with gabion rock barrage technology - as a pilot agroforestry site.
The wetland at Bougainville in the district of Takamaka, south of the main island of Mahe, is where the gabion technology was used for restoration and completed in 2018. The site is currently being promoted for conservation and sustainability as well as eco-friendly and leisure activities.
«With the support of the Ridge-to-Reef project, we are running a pilot agroforestry site with the aim of establishing a community seed bank. We plan to plant various rare fruit trees found in Seychelles, such as Letsi plim (Letchie), Miska (nutmeg), cacao, among others. Our target is to plant about 500 trees of each species, and we have already begun planting coco de mer and medicinal plants,» explained Johan Mendez, chairperson of the Baie Lazare Watershed Committee, which currently manages the area.
«A Ridge-to-Reef (R2R) Approach for the Integrated Management of Marine, Coastal, and Terrestrial Ecosystems in Seychelles» is a $3.87 million Global Environment Facility (GEF) project, co-financed by the government of Seychelles, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and civil societies.
R2R has also supported the site's management by facilitating the production and installation of information, directional, and biodiversity boards at the Dan Sours wetland. These boards are designed to keep the public informed and engaged in the committee's ongoing mission to preserve, protect, and conserve the area, which has so far been a successful story in terms of increasing fresh water retention.
Currently, the area features a thriving forest of endemic palms, an all-around trail, bridges, benches, a parking facility, and litter bins. It offers families a perfect getaway for picnics, relaxation and exercise, while respecting the environment.
«For this year, we have diverse goals. We aim to sustainably manage the wetlands while developing activities capable of financing the committee independently,» said Mendez, adding that these initiatives will include kayaking and ecotourism, as well as the creation of trails and mountain bike routes for public enjoyment, no doubt encouraging and promoting healthy lifestyles as well.
«However, these activities must be conducted with the utmost respect for the environment,» added Mendez, who was the consultant to oversee the project and work, which transformed the wetland.
The group is seeking more support to venture fully into the agroforestry project. For now, all work is being done by a small group of volunteers.
Earlier this year, another group, a not-for-profit organisation based on Praslin – the second most populated island of Praslin, announced that it had ventured into agroforestry. Terrestrial Restoration Action Society Seychelles (TRASS) opened a second nursery with a capacity of twelve thousand local and rare fruits with support of the Ridge-to-Reef project. The main aim is to the use local fruits in the organisation's restoration work to reforest some of the island' mountainous areas degraded by erosion.
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