Mauritius
Restoration of native forest in Petrin
About the Implementing organization
Name: Fondation Ressources et Nature (FORENA)
Country: Mauritius
Year of establishment: 2008
Type of organization: Community-based association or organization / Legally recognized non-profit status
Description
Foundation Ressources et Nature aims to further restore 12 hectares of native forests in the Petrin area of the Black River Gorges National Park of Mauritius, in collaboration with the National Parks and Conservation Service and HSBC following the successful completion of a pilot phase between 2013-2015. The project aims to build upon existing experiences in terrestrial biodiversity conservation to further restore the indigenous forests, establishing the basis for long-term civil society support to the conservation of the national parks.
The project's aims are:
1. Contribute to clear the National Parks of invasive exotic species and restore endemic ecosystems: the National Parks are heavily degraded by exotic ecosystems
2. The project promotes sustainable financing of biodiversity conservation by promoting economic incentives and building capacity of local stakeholders in the artisanal and commercial use of guava wood (invasive alien tree) harvested during restoration while promoting livelihoods.
3. Raise awareness about biodiversity conservation and instill stewardship of the National Parks amongst the general population, youth, and children as well as vulnerable groups. The project will address the lack of awareness about the importance of endemic flora and fauna by engaging with school children and youth in restoration through tree planting days and maintenance work days, as well with local association and vulnerable groups.
Nature Element
Forests / Mountains / Wildlife
Type of Action
Protection / Restoration / Sustainable use / Access and benefit sharing / Pollution prevention, clean up / Invasive species / Awareness and education
Sustainable Development Element
Jobs and livelihoods / Climate action
Related Sustainable Development Goal(s)
Environmental Impacts
The solution created sustainable biological resources; community people benefited and utilized food products and marketing, plants medicine, wood for economic business and medicinal treatment. Adaptation of ecosystem conservation and increasing Ecosystem services such as decomposition of waste, pollination, water purification, moderation of floods, and renewal of soil fertility that provide them sustainable natural resources and support food security and health condition of the people. Different cultures are developed in different landscapes that influenced food products marketing and economic business development activities, availability of occupations, employment, livelihood development and poverty reduction. The community people's cultures have adapted to local environmental challenges and management by adopting community environmental conservation, management, protection environment and wildlife animal species habitats and growing local domestic crops, developing irrigation systems.
Sustainable Development Impacts
The community environmental management committee is set-up to take the mandate of environmental conservation, monitoring, and maintenance to sustain biodiversity forest ecosystem, wildlife animal corridors and habitats, fertile land, water, reliable food production and using medicinal plants from forest reserve for community sickness treatment and community food security development. The sustainable development of integrated goal-setting and policy formulation of the project solution has impacted community environmental sustainable agricultural production, social healthy life condition, development agribusiness economic and livelihood development and poverty reduction. Community people adopted planning and management systems that facilitate the integration of environmental components such as air, water, land, and other natural resources, using landscape ecological planning and approaches that focus on ecosystem and watershed and enhance sustainable clean water ecosystem vegetation.
Scalability
The project solution will be expanded nationwide to support and facilitate people and farmers engaged in sustainable environment and agricultural production; the solution will solve their environmental and food insecurity problems through education for them to obtain knowledge of conservation and agriculture productivity and marketing information to improve their livelihoods and well-being; the Association will conduct research study to identify degraded lands, organize national workshops training with national stakeholders to facilitate the problems affecting environment and agriculture growth, ensure inputs access for farmers, linking them with market and marketing information and technologies transfer; facilitate their interaction with market partners nationwide, assist them to develop their own environmental conservation, marketing organization and management skills and practices to improve national economy growth and food security development.
Replicability
Rational behind replicating this solution project to other districts communities is that the key threats of deteriorating environmental ecosystem are occurring in the 26 Districts in the Northern Region of Ghana, in certain instances developing from natural processes such as floods and erosion. The drivers of phenomena such as climate change, loss of plant and animal species’ habitats, and loss of carbon stock. These communities need environment training and materials to effectively replicate the project to sustain the ecosystem to improve food production, water, and economic development in the entire Northern Region, Upper East Region, and Upper West Region.
The Association planned to collaborate and partner with key stakeholders in the Regions such as Regional Division of Forest Commission, Community Based Organizations, and Northern Ghana Network, and Regional Department of Food and Agriculture Unit for effective replication the project throughout the other Regional communities.
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