The rescue

Threats to Biodiversity Conservation

• Mauritius is currently the 3rd country in the world to have the highest number of extinct species.
  
  
• Of the 671 plant species known to Mauritius, 11% have disappeared whilst 21% of what is left is on the brink of extinction. Half of the 52 vertebrates known to the island have gone extinct.
  
  
• From the 40,000 acres of native forest reported in the 1700s, we are today left with a little less than 2% of the island covered in good quality forests and 3% of which are heavily degraded.
  
  
• Today our forest remnants are threatened by invasion of alien plants and animals which reduce their regeneration capability and long-term survival;
  
  
• deforestation for agriculture and urban development;
  
  
• changing climatic conditions.

About 11 ha of the forest of Ferney faced destruction when in 2004, the project for a South East Highway linking the SSR International Airport to the east of the island was put approved and financed. The construction of the highway, had it gone forward, would have seen the clearing of over 11 ha of forested land with the construction of a tunnel through the Bambou mountain range.

The Environment Monitoring Committee surveys as well as the input of local and international consultants raised the alarm on the value of what was going to be destroyed for the sake of urban development. Groups like Eco-Sud, Nature Watch and Mahebourg Citizens Welfare Organisation petitioned against the project and eventually it was ceased. Today, the Government is a strong ally of CIEL Group in ensuring protection of this biodiversity jewel, through the Vallee de Ferney Conservation Trust. The Vallee de Ferney eco-touristic project now serves to highlight the importance of biodiversity protection as well as the threats of rash development.