SIF introduces new coco de mer scheme for all Seychellois citizens |28 July 2021

The Seychelles Islands Foundation in collaboration with the environment department, recently introduced a new scheme to encourage Seychellois citizens to plant a coco de mer tree on their property.

Interested participants need to fill in an application form with all relevant information including the size and location of their property. Depending on the size of the property, the Seychelles Islands Foundation (SIF) officers will advise if the participant qualifies and will also advise on the number of nuts that can be planted with the maximum being five per property. The process carries a fee of R500.

According to the SIF Facebook page, so far their operations and logistics team have managed to carry out site visits for 104 of 112 applicants with 49 applications already being processed and approved. A total of 171 coco de mer nuts have already been planted on Mahé. Though the Covid-19 pandemic has caused some delays in implementing the scheme, the team aims to complete all coco de mer planting by the end of August.

Vallée de Mai manager, Marc Jean-Baptiste is encouraging all Seychellois citizens to get on board, proudly adding that already there are a lot of interested applicants.

“For future generations, it is important that coco de mer trees keep growing everywhere in Seychelles, this is our aim and purpose through the scheme,” Mr Jean-Baptiste explained.

He also added that the SIF will feel more confident that this endemic plant will not go into extinction if everything goes according to plan, as at the moment there is a big concern that protected trees are being cut down intentionally in some areas on Praslin.

Mr Jean-Baptiste also pointed out that SIF personnel will guide successful applicants on the proper way to plant and maintain the coco de mer trees.

Alison Dugasse