Reforestation: Bringing the Trees Back to Life

Dear Supporters,

For many years GVI Seychelles Curieuse has been supporting the Terrestrial Restoration Action Society Seychelles (TRASS) by providing manpower to assist with propagating native tree seedlings and planting them on the degraded hillsides of Praslin and Curieuse Islands. Last year we also began raising funds to support their growing operation, so as well as being their largest source of voluntary manpower we are also helping to expand their facilities.

TRASS are the primary reforestation organisation on Praslin Island, Seychelles. They have steadily grown through charitable donations from many organisations, and they rely on voluntary assistance to restore areas of degraded forest on Praslin and Curieuse Islands. GVI Seychelles Curieuse has played an integral part in their efforts by providing staff and volunteers on a regular basis to conduct activities at the TRASS nursery, and to assist with planting seedlings on the degraded hillsides. Last year we also began raising funds to support their operations by means of charity fundraising beach cleans.

It has been a very active three months. Having already raised significant funds, a meeting was held to discuss the details of initiating construction of a new plant hardening area at the TRASS nursery, which will allow acclimatisation of seedlings before being planted and increase their survival rates. A foundation already exists and a contractor is standing by to secure materials and begin construction.

We have also participated in further mangrove planting sessions and nursery maintenance sessions. In May we conducted one of our quarterly fundraising beach cleans on Praslin Island, and because we are so close to the total required to begin construction of the plant hardening area, we have decided to increase our fundraising efforts further. For the past three months we have initiated Curieuse Cinnamon Collection Charity Challenge Cup Competitions (CCCCCCC)! Cinnamon is widely regarded as the most invasive plant species in the Seychelles, so in keeping with the forest restoration aims of TRASS we have been holding competitions amongst our volunteers to remove as many cinnamon seedlings from an area of forest on Curieuse as a means to raise further funds. The number of plants removed has been astonishing, with over 5000 removed in only an hour!

A further £270 has been raised towards the construction of the plant hardening area bringing us to within £300 of the £1850 required, so we will be doubling our fundraising efforts to try to get construction started as soon as possible. Any further donations will be gratefully received by TRASS, as this will be a massive leap forward in their ability to restore areas of the Seychelles most impacted by humanity.

Thank you for your continued support!

With Gratitude

Curieuse Reforestration TRASS