Speech by the Dr. the Honourable Arvin Boolell, Minister of Agro Industry & Fisheries
Second Reading of the Vallée d’Osterlog Endemic Garden Foundation Bill on 31 July 2007
Mr. Speaker Sir,
I beg to move that the Vallée d’Osterlog Endemic Garden Foundation Bill be read a second time.
2. The object of the Bill is to set up the Foundation which will manage and administer the Vallée d’Osterlog Endemic Garden, not very far from Le Val, and which will stretch over some 275 ha from the bottom of the Vallée d’Osterlog to the Creole Mountain Range, including Montagne Lasselle, Montagne Lagrave, and astride the districts of Moka and Grand Port.
3. A Visitors Centre will be constructed at the entrance of the Garden to provide information about endemic flora and fauna. It is proposed that in the Garden, each species will be represented by at least one individual, thus showcasing local genetic diversity and helping to safeguard it from extinction. The Forestry Service of my Ministry has already carried out a survey to identify plants for conservation. A detailed survey of the fauna on the site will start shortly.
4. It is expected that once the Garden becomes functional, it should raise its own revenue for its day to day management. The initial infrastructure costs will be met from the National Parks and Conservation Fund.
5. Clause 13 of the Bill provides for the setting up of a General Fund into which all money received by the Foundation will be paid. It is expected that individuals and organizations which value conservation and want to contribute to the objective of the Garden would make donations.
6. To provide the necessary frontage to the Garden and attached car park, my Ministry has acquired some 2.35 ha of land at Le Val from Rose Belle Sugar Estate. This frontage will lead to the Garden area, which will initially comprise a nature trail of about 4 km, a nursery for rare plant propagation, and picnic areas along the banks of the Rivulet Perrot and elevated, scenic spots.
7. Mr. Speaker, Mauritius has one of the most threatened island floras in the world, is a party to the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), the UN Forum on Forests, and is an active member of SIDS. Each contracting party is committed to protect its biological diversity. This Endemic Garden will be one more effort in this direction.
8. The forest cover on the 41 Small Island Developing States of the World is considered insignificant in global terms, representing less than 1% of the forest area of the world. Yet, forest and trees on these islands are extremely important and have global significance in terms of conservation of biological diversity, with a high percentage of endemic species.
9. Our indigenous forests represent less than 2% of the original native vegetation, mainly restricted to inaccessible areas such as rivers, gorges, mountain slopes and tops. State Land Osterlog and the mountain slopes of Montagne Lagrave and Montagne Lasselle are amongst them.
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10. Of the 680 species of flowering plants native to Mauritius, 45% are endemic to Mauritius and 21% endemic to the Mascarenes. According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) criteria, 60% of the flora of Mauritius are threatened. I am informed that some 62 plant species are probably extinct, whereas in the wild
• 3 species are extinct
• 6 species have only 1 individual left
• 34 species have 2-10 individuals left
• 56 species have 11-50 individuals species left and
• 85 species have 51-250 individuals species left.
Conservation work is therefore a top priority.
11. In an attempt to democratize public knowledge and sensitize everyone about the rich flora and fauna of Mauritius, we have been exploring the best location for an Endemic Garden since July 2005. Several sites have been considered by technicians of my Ministry, and Vallée d’Osterlog, presently maintained as State Forest Land, reaching up to Montagne Lagrave and Montagne Lasselle, was selected on grounds of its rich biodiversity and near pristine state.
12. The Vallée d’Osterlog is unique in terms of spectacular view points and rare endemic/native plants. There are several elevated spots and hill tops which command splendid sceneries of the surrounding forests, crystal clear streams and small waterfalls cascading over rock pinnacles and mountain flanks, ridges supporting remnants of native vegetation which contain several critically endangered species and some of the rarest indigenous/endemic plant species including Tambalacoque (Sideroxylon gandiflorum), Ebène marbré à grosse feuilles (Diospyros boutoniana).
13. The Vallée d’Osterlog Endemic Garden will contain a living collection of endemic flora and as far as possible endemic fauna from various regions of Mauritius, including remote places like Round Island, Gunner’s Quoin and mountain summits like Corps de Garde and Le Morne Brabant.
14. Clause 4 provides for the objects and functions of the Foundation which are very clear, I will not dwell thereon. However, the task of the Foundation will be huge, as it will have to be both conservation conscious and creative, so that in some years this Garden will become as famous for its endemic collection, as our Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden is for its botanic collection.
15. Clause 7 of the Bill provides for the establishment of a Board whose composition is broad based, and balanced, to ensure that we achieve the twin objectives of conserving our unique flora and fauna for Mauritians and overseas visitors to enjoy. Our Visitors Centre is also expected to be designed to be environmentally friendly and ecologically sustainable.
16. Over the years, my Ministry has been taking initiatives for the in-situ and ex-situ conservation of flora through weeding and fencing to help control alien invasive species, and through the creation of Conservation Management Areas (CMAs) within Protected Areas like the Black River Gorges National Park. Active management of islets such as Round Island forming part of the Islets National Park and Ile Aux Aigrettes forming part of our Nature Reserves are ongoing. Such work has also been undertaken in Rodrigues inter alia in Ile Aux Cocos and Ile Aux Sables.
17. Critically endangered plants are propagated through ex-situ conservation. Forty three of the 96 species, known from less than 50 individuals in the wild, have so far been successfully propagated by National Parks & Conservation Service and the Forestry Service. These are done in the Greenhouse Unit and the Native Plant Propagation Centre, Curepipe and in the Arboretum close by.
18. We also have an Arboretum holding a reference collection of our rarest native and endemic plants. It acts as a field gene bank and contains living representatives of 20 of the rarest upland plant species. We are trying to save these species and their genetic diversity from extinction, and for reintroduction into protected areas. For example, palmiste bouclé (Tectiphiala ferox) known from 9 adults in the wild, has been propagated and 15 plants have been reintroduced into actively managed areas. The Elaeocarpus bojerii represented by only three known specimens in the wild at Grand Bassin, has been propagated by seeds. The Dombeyamauritiana which has become extinct in the wild, is well represented in the collection and is bearing fruit. A Pandanus iceryii from Ferney Valley has been translocated to this arboretum. All such plants will eventually be available on display at Vallée d’Osterlog Garden.
19. Our officers routinely engage in survey of forest areas and river reserves, to document the distribution and abundance of native and endemic species. Over the past 5 years, seven species thought to be ‘extinct’ have been rediscovered, and collection of plant material has allowed reclassification of several other species. Reassessment of the threat to native species, using IUCN criteria, is being coordinated by our National Threatened Plants Technical Committee.
20. Vallée d’Osterlog Endemic Garden will showcase this very important aspect of the work of our Forestry Service and our National Parks & Conservation Service.
21. Mr. Speaker Sir, we expect that this Garden will establish linkages with gardens and research organizations around the world. My Ministry cooperates with Kew Gardens in United Kingdom to safeguard our plant genetic resources. For example, in early 1980’s, Ms Wendy Strahm, botanist, took some cuttings of the café marron of Rodrigues (Ramosmania rodriguesii) to the Royal Botanic Garden, Kew in an effort to save this unique species. In February 2007, Dr Carlos Magdelena from Kew brought back some 30 rare plants,including 12 café marron plants. Kew is also helping us with training of staff and setting up of a Seed Bank. The Café Marron is being hardened in Mauritius prior to being reintroduced in Rodrigues before the end of this year.
22. Regarding the garden itself, we have already started opening nature trails to be used later by visitors. Some endemic trees along these trails have reached full maturity, and are estimated to be over 200 years old. About 2 km of trails are already open.
23. The Vallée d’Osterlog Endemic Garden is also expected to attract strong collaboration from research and academic institutions both locally and overseas. Just to give an example, we are currently cooperating in ongoing research with the Botany Department of the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco the aim being DNA sequencing of four endemic plant species of the family of Melastomataceae.
24. Mr. Speaker, Sir, through this Bill we are laying the foundation for the creation of a unique site that we can give in legacy to coming generations.
25. Before I end, I wish to thank all local and international organisations, as well as the UN agencies which provide us valuable support and assistance.
26. With these words, I commend the Bill to the House.
