Climate Crisis: Tackling Our Carbon Footprint

Dear Supporters, 

We are excited to bring you news about a new initiative that we are working on as part of our carbon project. We are getting a reforestation project off the ground in the Seychelles!

Background Information

Deforestation is a serious issue in many places and it poses a serious threat to people, animals and the local environment. Forests play a critical role in helping to mitigate climate change because they act as a 'carbon sink', soaking up excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Deforestation undermines this function and has far reaching consequences. 

Parslin Island

Unfortunately, there are a number of areas on Praslin Island in the Seychelles that suffer from problematic deforestation. Parslin, originally called 'Isle of Palms' by French explorers was covered with trees and palms, including the coco-de-mar trees, native to Seychelles. Skip forward a couple of hundred of years and the hills have been scarred by forest fires and soil erosion. 

This is a problem that the Terrestrial Restoration Action Society of Seychelles (TRASS) has been working very hard to counteract. We are in the early stages of partnering with TRASS to provide support in the form of volunteer involvement and funding. 

GVI Seychelles volunteers will join regularly scheduled reforestation sessions and funds generated will contribute to buying plants and equipment, such as hoes, spades, cutters and fertiliser, for TRASS to continue their work. It is also our objective to strengthen our partnerships and work together on SDG13 and SDG15. 

We are looking forward to seeing the hilltops of Parslin Island covered in trees once again!

With Gratitude, 
The GVI Trust