Africa-Press – Seychelles. Recently, CM1 and 6ème classes from the French School of Seychelles traveled to the Vallée de Mai on the island of Praslin to learn more about the importance of the Vallée de Mai as a World Heritage Site.
This school outing is part of the Ecoschool competition and the students were guided to discover this magnificent garden by Maria Brioche from the Seychelles Islands Foundation. The school teachers ‒ Mrs. Boxberger and Mrs. Consigny‒ first prepared the children in class for this outing and especially on the preservation of the environment.
The students then gave a presentation on the Vallée de Mai.
Importance of the Vallée de Mai as a UNESCO heritage site
The Vallée de Mai reserve, which measures 19.5 hectares, was created to protect the endemic species of Praslin, in particular the Coco de Mer which was overexploited. Tourists and locals took Coco de Mer nuts which were used to make perfume and for food. This exploitation prevented the species from reproducing and the Coco de Mer risked disappearing. In the Coco de Mer forest also live many other endemic species, which means that they are only found on Praslin and the disappearance of their natural habitat would also cause their disappearance. These endemic species are, for example, the Black Parrot, the Boulboul grosbeak, the bronze gecko, etc. The purpose of this reserve was therefore to protect this natural and unique ecosystem in the world.
Growth and economy
Thanks to the Vallée de Mai, many tourists come to the Seychelles to observe endemic species and unspoiled nature. They also participate in the economic development of the Seychelles by staying in hotels and participating in the activities planned for them. If the Vallée de Mai forest were destroyed, tourists who like to visit unspoiled natural sites would probably no longer come and this would have negative economic consequences for the Seychelles.
How the Vallee de Mai has progressed in 40 years: In the 40 years since the opening of the reserve, there has been a lot of progress: more and more visitors visit the valley. The Seychelles are known to be a place where nature is particularly preserved; over the past 40 years there has been much progress in controlling invasive plants and invasive animals such as the mole Tenrec encaudatus.
To conclude the day, the EFS students went to the Côte d’Or beach for a well-deserved picnic.
This outing was possible thanks to the gracious participation of Cat Coco by Mr. Joe Albert and especially Mr. Guillaume Albert who supported the school in the organization of this outing and who delighted the students.
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