Commemorating Vallée De Mai’s 40th anniversary as a Unesco world heritage site |03 November 2023
Guests and delegates in a souvenir photo
Researchers meet to share Vallée de Mai’s milestones
By Patrick Joubert
President Wavel Ramkalawan has called on all Seychellois, especially those living on Praslin, to take ownership of the Vallée de Mai, which is a world heritage site and do their utmost to contribute towards the preservation of the garden from harmful human activities.
President Ramkalawan, who is also the patron of the Seychelles Islands Foundation (SIF), made the statement during the launch of an international research symposium that was held yesterday at the Savoy Seychelles Resort and Spa in Beau Vallon.
The event was to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Vallée de Mai's inscription on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) World Heritage list on December 1983.
His statement was in relation to poaching activities taking place there.
The International Research Symposium under the theme ‘Preserving our past and inspiring our future’ was to share Vallée de Mai's milestones and achievements over the past 40 years and the way forward. The symposium had brought together a panel of international and Seychellois researchers, as well as a diverse audience comprising of stakeholders, conservationists and the community from both Mahé and Praslin. Also in attendance was Vice-President Ahmed Afif.
“It is our responsibility to protect and preserve the place that we have that every visitor on earth wants to visit. Instead of getting involved in activities that will destroy it, let us discourage people that we know are doing those illegal activities such as poaching of the coco de mer and other rare species. We have to take ownership of our garden and if we do so, we will have an even bigger interest to protect it against those who want to destroy it,” President Ramkalawan said.
Situated on one of world’s oldest granitic island, the 19.5 hectare area of palm forest is made up of mostly the endemic and iconic coco de mer palm trees among other endemic plants, birds and animals such as the black parrot and the giant bronze gecko.
The beautiful and spectacular flora and fauna has remained largely unchanged since prehistoric times.
SIF has since 1989 been responsible for the management of the very important world site. It has witnessed many poaching incidents. Over 110,000 visitors visited Vallée de Mai in 2022.
“In commemorating this 40th anniversary, we do more than celebrate this place. We celebrate our commitment as a country to the ideal of conservation and sharing our natural heritage universally. The Vallée de Mai is not just a Seychellois treasure. It is a global treasure, a gift to humanity and a testament to the power of the shared commitment in the best interest of preserving nature,” President Ramkalawan added.
The head of state urged the participants to reflect on the immense challenges the country is facing that are threatening our natural wonder such as the impact of climate change on Vallée de Mai which could result in an increased risk of forest fires and lost biodiversity, as well as the poaching of the treasured coco de mer nuts and other rare species.
He added the conservation of the Vallée de Mai should not be SIF’s responsibility alone, but that of each and everyone one of us and advised locals who are yet to visit the paradise garden to get to know the treasure that we have, so they will understand its role.
President Ramkalawan commended the SIF and the team on Praslin for managing the Vallée de Mai, as well as both local and international partners for their contributions towards the conservation of the site, which is one among the smallest Unesco sites.
He also pledged the government’s continued support for its conservation.
In an interview with the press, SIF’s chief executive, Dr Frauke Fleischer-Dogley, said that SIF is proud to have been able, with the support of government and people of Seychelles, to maintain the Vallée de Mai practically in its original state, as it was from thousands of years.
She added that SIF want people to know that Vallée de Mai is not just a tourist site but also a place where science has a central position.
Mrs Fleischer-Dogley said the way forward was to continue with the site’s protection and conservation programme.
She noted that given many tourists visit the place on a daily basis, one of its tasks would be to assess their impact on the species, so as to minimise disturbance in their habitat.
The symposium was marked by various presentations by local and international presenters on the 40 years of success in conservation and beyond. There was also a video screening of the Vallée de Mai over the past 40 years and SIF team including a poem for the occasion, ‘The Beauty of Vallée de Mai’, by Yves Jumeau from Beau Vallon primary school.
Photos by Patrick Joubert
