Generation Restoration: A Call to Action on World Environment Day
Picture islands once bereft of biodiversity, now lush with greenery and teeming with birds and other wildlife. Imagine wetlands once degraded, now bustling with life, a world where thriving coral reefs are not just a memory, but a reality. This is not a distant dream; it is happening now.
Cousin Island is a prime example of successful restoration
For decades now, Nature Seychelles, a leading environment NGO, has shown the way in Seychelles. It exemplifies this year's World Environment Day restoration theme, which aligns with the United Nations' 2021–2030 Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.
Nature Seychelles has been involved in restoration in the following areas.
Island Ecosystem Restoration: Cousin Island, managed by the NGO, is a prime example of successful restoration. Once a coconut plantation, it was bought by BirdLife International to save the near-extinct Seychelles warbler. Native trees were regenerated, transforming the island into a thriving ecosystem that supported various endemic land birds, thousands of nesting seabirds, turtles, lizards, and other species. Nature Seychelles has managed Cousin Island since 1998 and continues to make it a global conservation success story.
Its efforts have extended to other islands, where whole island restoration involved predator removal, reforestation, and reintroduction of native species.
The Global Environment Facility funded a major island restoration program in 1999, spearheaded by Nature Seychelles, and supported by international partners, private island owners, and the Seychelles government. This program included ecological assessments, cost analysis, and island management, as well as removing alien predators, rehabilitating native habitats, and translocating globally threatened birds. Islands in the program included Frégate, Cousine, North, and Denis Islands.
Re-birding efforts have saved birds such as the Seychelles Magpie Robin
Re-birding efforts: The re-birding of several Seychelles islands has resulted in an impressive recovery of endangered birds, including the Seychelles Warbler, the Seychelles Magpie Robin, the Seychelles Fody and the Seychelles Paradise Flycatcher. Due to successful conservation actions, these species have been down-listed to less threatened categories. In addition, these interventions, such as habitat restoration, translocation, and stakeholder engagement, have set a global conservation standard with books and scientific papers published.
Coral Reef Restoration: Since 2010, Nature Seychelles has restored coral reefs on Cousin Island, implementing the world’s first large-scale coral reef restoration. With grants from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Global Environment Facility (GEF), and now the Adaptation Fund through UNDP, they have grown over 64,000 corals in underwater nurseries and transplanted more than 37,000 covering an area of more than 1 ha and contributing to reef recovery. To turbo-boost restoration efforts, Nature Seychelles is building Africa's first on-land regenerative coral aquaculture farm supported by the Adaptation Fund, SeyCCAT and CMA-CGM.
We have been restoring mangroves at the Sanctuary at Roche Caiman wetland
Reviving the Sanctuary at Roche Caiman: Nature Seychelles restored the 2.7 ha Sanctuary, transforming it from a wasteland into a wetland sanctuary for wildlife and people. Restoration included removing invasive species, planting native flora, and opening pools to attract birds. The site features a recycled plastic bottles boardwalk and a bird observation area.
New direction - Wetlands of Hope
A new EU-funded project will see Nature Seychelles work with the government, private sector and community to restore wetlands around Mahe. Branded as "wetlands of hope," these sites will be revived based on specific criteria. The project aims to enhance partnerships for collaborative wetlands management in Seychelles.
World Environment Day calls us all to action. It may not be possible to reverse time, but we can restore islands and coral reefs, and revive wetlands. Through our support of organizations like Nature Seychelles, volunteering, or making sustainable choices, we can all contribute to this global restoration effort.
