VICTORIA, Seychelles — A ceremony attended by President Wavel Ramkalawan and First Lady Linda Ramkalawan on Thursday marked the fortieth anniversary of the inscription of the Vallee de Mai nature reserve as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The event at the reserve cafeteria brought together ministers, members of the National Assembly, district administrators, Seychelles Islands Foundation trustees and staff, and tourism professionals, all welcomed by the calls of the black parrot. The gathering served as both a celebration of the milestone and a moment to reflect on the work that has gone into protecting the site over four decades.
The ceremony had originally been planned for December 9, 2023, on the actual inscription date, but was postponed because of the December 7 disasters. Organisers used the occasion to thank past and present staff of the foundation for their work in giving great value to the site, and to recognise the contribution of tourism operators who bring visitors to the reserve. Long service awards and certificates were also presented to staff members who had completed five, fifteen, and twenty-five years of service.
In his address, the president expressed disappointment at the ongoing poaching at the site and called on all Seychellois, especially residents of Praslin, to act as custodians of the Vallee de Mai and to help stop illicit activity. He also thanked the board of trustees and the special anniversary committee for organising a year-long programme of events to mark the milestone. The president noted that the continued protection of the site depended on the vigilance of the local community.
The chairman of the board of trustees, Bernard Georges, recounted the history of the garden from the time it was purchased by France Junau and explained how it came to be called the Vallee de Mai. The anniversary also coincides with the hundred and thirtieth anniversary of the Fond Ferdinand becoming a government property, and Mr Georges noted that the coco de mer, as the principal tree in the national crest, sits at the heart of the Seychellois national identity. He praised the foundation’s staff for keeping the reserve in a condition worthy of international recognition.
The director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Lazare Eloundou Assomo, addressed the gathering by video link and described the Vallee de Mai as the green heart of Praslin Island and one of the most scenic treasures of the world. He thanked the people of Seychelles for preserving the legacy for future generations. He also noted that the site had been nominated as a benchmark for the management of similar forests elsewhere in the region.
Other moments during the day included a poem by Seychelles National Youth Assembly Speaker Said Lesperance, a performance by singer Joe Samy, and the presentation of a fire prevention and contingency plan for the reserve. The plan, developed with the Seychelles Fire and Rescue Services Agency, was prepared by a local firm in partnership with the foundation and with funding from the Franklina Foundation in Switzerland. Officials said the plan would help reduce the risk of fires in the reserve during the dry season.
The event closed with the launch of a visitor science app that provides an interactive guide to the fourteen stations of the garden. Visitors can record and share their own sightings to a database that supports ongoing research and monitoring of the site. The app is expected to deepen visitor engagement while giving researchers a richer picture of the reserve’s biodiversity.
