Outdoor Classroom and Funroom

There was an enthusiastic "Yes!" when Robin Hanson told a group of Primary 4 students from Beau Vallon Primary School that they would be planting mangroves and that they would be doing it in mud.

The 74 children were on a school outing this Tuesday afternoon at the Sanctuary at Roche Caiman as part of their curriculum that allows children to experience nature as part of learning. Earlier on, they had discovered the bird life that

is found here, their habitats, eating habits and reproduction, which tied in with their lesson for the day. They had seen birds like the moorhen and grey heron.  Other birds that can be seen here are a pair of resident yellow bitterns. They had also toured the Heritage Garden.

Now, after lunch, they were about to do something more exciting to them - play in the mud! It made the unusually grey and dull Mahe afternoon interesting and the children could hardly contain their joy, especially after they heard that the mangroves they plant will help improve the environment in Seychelles and would be here for them to see for many years to come.

The Sanctuary has undergone a major transformation under Nature Seychelles' Mangroves for Mankind project that is funded by the regional Mangroves for the Future programme. Areas have been opened up for growing more varieties of mangroves and a planting regime set up for this. Typha Javanica the aquatic grass, which out-competes and edges out the mangroves has been reduced in these areas.

And work is underway to maintain ditches, pools and wader scrapes for birds; there was even a digger working in the background on this day. The downside (or upside if you are under 12) of all the work is that even during the dry season, when the relatively high water table is hit or when there is a bit of rain as the case has been the past few days, the soil quickly becomes soggy.

First mangrove seeds were collected from the three species growing here - the red, white and puzzle nut mangroves. The first two occurred on the site naturally when the wetland was still connected to the sea and have become especially adapted to the area, while the latter was planted by Nature Seychelles.

Then in single file, the children were led to the planting area, squealing and squishing in the mud. Planting was then demonstrated before everyone happily joined in.

It was evident that Robin was pleased to have such an enthusiastic crowd. Robin often leads what Nature Seychelles calls “edutainment” exercises to get both adults and children passionately interested in nature. He had an equally keen one last week on Friday when Nature Seychelles staff took to the Sanctuary for team building. The activity then was trying to herd some recalcitrant feral dogs (who didn’t want to become part of our Good Dog programme)  out of the Sanctuary. Robin  had the staff do this while walking along the fence and periodically letting out a (manic) shout. Quite a good way to rid one of stress.

And that's exactly what the Sanctuary has become. A place to learn, get in touch with nature, contribute to conservation and occasionally let out a happy sound!

Our History

Since 1998.

Seychelles Nature, Green HealthClimate Change, Biodiversity Conservation & Sustainability Organisation

@CousinIsland Manager

Facebook: http://goo.gl/Q9lXM

Roche Caiman, Mahe

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Centre for Environment & Education

Roche Caiman,

P.O. Box 1310, Mahe, Seychelles

Tel:+ 248 2519090

Email: nature@seychelles.net