VICTORIA, Seychelles — The heroism of Ephrem Pool, the man who in 1958 saved the Vallée de Mai reserve on Praslin from a devastating fire, has been recalled by his son Maxime Pool, who recently visited Seychelles with his family and walked through the very forest his father helped protect almost seven decades ago.
On a hot Sunday in 1958, Ephrem Pool, then working within the Vallée de Mai, led efforts to contain a fire that threatened thousands of coco de mer trees, an act of bravery that helped secure the future of one of the country’s most treasured natural sites. The Vallée de Mai was later declared a nature reserve and, in 1983, was inscribed as a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) World Heritage Site, drawing visitors from across the world.
During his visit, Maxime Pool took his grandchildren to the places where his father had worked and shared the story of that day, a story he feels is not told often enough. ‘I want my grandchildren to know that their grandfather helped save this place,’ he said, standing beneath the towering palms. The Vallée de Mai remains a cornerstone of Seychelles’ natural heritage, and the story of Ephrem Pool is a reminder of the dedication of ordinary Seychellois whose actions helped to preserve the islands’ unique biodiversity for future generations.
