SEKIRITE ROUTIERE

By C. Ramful (CFCEO), forestry_mauritius

Pas coné quand capave arrive nou tour!

Eski  Forestiers bizin contribué pou Sekirité Routière ?

Oui, Forestiers oussi bizin contribué pou Sekirité Routière. Valerr du jour, durant l’année 2018 fine ena plis qui 119 morts à cause banne accidents lors la route et ena encore plis ki fine blessé gravement. Chaque accident lors la route li ene cas de trop parcequi li apporte  boucou  souffrance dan nou lavie.

Pas coné quand capave arrive nou tour ou tour ene de nou banne proches. Donc, tous banne camarades Forestier bizin reste vigilant lors la route et pran tous précautions necéssaire pou nou sekirité. Nou bizin oussi sensibilise nou familles, zenfants, camarades et les autres dimounes.

Mo profite l’occasion pou partage avec zotte ene deux slogans qui pou aide zotte réflechir avant qui zotte emprunte la route.

COUTE KE COUTE BIZIN OBSERVE CODE DE LA ROUTE

SORTI BONHEUR POU RENTRER SANS MALHEUR

ROULE DOUCEMENT ET RENTE VIVANT

RENTE TARD ICI PLI BON QUI ALLE  LA HAUT BONHEUR

RESTE VIGILANT LOR VOLANT, VIVE LONTAN ET OU MEME POU CONTENT

FAISERE LOR LA ROUTE AMENE OU DIREK DAN CIMITIERE

NOU BIZIN SOLIDAIRE AVEC SEKIRITE ROUTIERE

"KATA BOURER", A LIFE-SAVING TECHNIQUE

By C. Ramful (CFCEO), forestry_mauritius

There was once a Forest Officer who had learnt a few Kung Fu techniques, commonly known as “KATAS”. One day he found himself alone in the forests facing a ferocious man armed with an axe and threatening to kill him.

He forthwith recalled in his mind all the “KATAS” he had learnt from his Kung Fu Master so that he may disarm and subdue his opponent. Finally, he took a wise decision and promptly applied the technique of “KATA BOURER”, which he had learnt from his old grand-father. He ran away from the spot and saved his life. He is now a happy ambassador of “KATA BOURER”.

DOWN MEMORY "FOREST" LANE

EPISODE 3:  THE VOYEUR (BYE LOOKÉ)

By T.M.Pyneeandy,forestry_mauritius

Laundry site at River La Savanne, Surinam

In the 1970s, many women in rural areas used to go to the nearest rivers to wash clothes.  Some of them had to do all the household chores before toiling hard in the sugarcane fields from dawn to dusk.  Indeed, it was almost a slavery-life for many women at that time.  They usually went to do their laundry during the weekends, and many of them took the opportunity to bathe and relax in the cool water.

Bye Looké relished the sight of women washing and bathing in the river.  Hence his favourite task was to patrol river reserves.  One hot Saturday morning, he posted himself at a suitable spot on the river bank of River La Savanne very close to a laundry site.  He was well camouflaged in the bush.  He was a very patient man.   After one hour, many women were already busy washing clothes.

 

 In the past, there were no concrete steps and retaining wall.

 Bye Looké enjoyed the   show.  He listened attentively to the women’s conversation.  Finally, the climax would be reached when some of the women started bathing in the river.  Some of them kept their clothes on whilst others removed their tops in the absence of men.

 Afterwards he took great pleasure in narrating to his colleagues what he saw and heard at the laundry scene.  One day he told his colleagues that he overheard a very "juicy" conversation.  One woman related to her friends her intimacy with her lover the night before.  She described how she reached the seventh heaven/zenith during a torrid love-making by comparing it to the river eel that slipped inside its lair.  Bye Looké said that he was nearly caught as he couldn't suppress laughing.  Fortunately, the women had burst into a roar of laughter and didn't notice him!!!

NATIONAL FOREST

By F.Mohit, forestry_mauritius

The Forests and Reserves Act of 1983 makes provision for the creation of National Forest.  According to section 4 of the Act, the Minister of Agro Industry & Food Security may, by regulations, declare any State Land which is a forest to be a National Forest, and specify the boundaries of every National Forest.  Any area declared to be a National Forest shall be inalienable and shall not be devoted to any other use than as forest land.  Unfortunately, there is still no National Forest in Mauritius.  Isn't it time to declare National Forest in the Republic of Mauritius?

Black River Gorges National Park

Mauritius has two National Parks on mainland, namely Black River Gorges National Park and Bras D'Eau National Park.  It also has eight Islet National Parks.  Moreover, there are fourteen Nature Reserves including islets.  National Parks and Nature Reserves constitute the bulk of the Protected Area Network (PAN).  

National Park and National Forest may appear to mean the same thing as both are public lands (state-owned).  However, the great difference between the two is the multiple-use mandate for National Forest.  The latter is managed for many purposes including timber production, recreation, grazing, wildlife, conservation, amongst others, while National Park is highly geared towards conservation.  Nature Reserves are strictly for preservation and conservation where public access is very limited.

Tamarind Falls Reservoir

At the beginning of the last decade, three state forest areas were identified by the late Conservator of Forests, Mr. S. Paupiah, to be declared National Forest.  Two of them are the strategically located upland forests in the Mare-aux-Vacoas region (Grand Bassin, Sophie, Parc-aux- Cerfs and Henrietta) and the Nouvelle Decouverte region (Eau-Bouillie, Thorel, Salazie and La Nicolière).  The third one is the lowland forest at Belle Vue (Daruty).  A preliminary survey was carried out, but the project was abandoned due to lack of political will.


 Land is a very limited and scarce resource on this small island.  In Mauritius, owing to rapid economic development, forest lands are the first to be sacrificed.  Consequently, they remain vulnerable to other land-based sectors.  However, it is widely recognised that forest lands should constitute at least one third of the land area of a country.  The present forest cover is about 25 % in Mauritius, which is already less than the desired amount.  Therefore, it is imperative that we conserve most of the remaining forests.  The upland forests at Mare-aux-Vacoas and Nouvelle Decouverte have multiple uses and functions.  These forests are managed for timber production, deer ranching, recreation, wildlife, fruit and fodder collection, conservation (soil, water and biodiversity), amongst others.  Thus they meet the definition of National Forest.   

The PAN consists of some 8,200 hectares of forest lands, representing about 4% of the land area.  Mauritius is one of the first countries that have signed the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD), and has taken the commitment to increase the PAN up to 17% by 2025 (National Biodiversity Strategic and Action Plan 2017-2025 refers).  We have no alternative but to declare these forests National Forest in order to substantially increase the extent of PAN and meet our obligations under the UNCBD.  The soil and water conservation of the strategically located upland forests is of utmost importance for sustainable development in Mauritius, which warrant their protection for the benefits of present and future generations.  

MY VISIT TO AGALEGA

By K. Sookee, forestry_mauritius

Agalega is located in the Indian ocean about 1200 kms North of Mauritius.   It forms part of the Republic of Mauritius and consists of two islands, North Island and the South Island. There are two villages in the North Island known as Village 25 and La Fourche, and only one village in the South Island known as Ste. Rita. The population of Agalega is around 350 individuals.

Welcome to Agalega

A stretch of sand separates both North and South islands. During high tide and adverse climatic conditions, the inhabitants cannot cross from North to South and vice versa. The island is densely covered with Coconut and Filao trees together with thick vegetation of Veloutier Vert.  Moreover, there are some scattered fruit trees such as bread fruit and some endemic trees such as Tatamaka. Huge Ste. Marie trees could also be seen here and there.

Thick clump of Veloutier Vert

Both islands are managed by the Outer Islands Development Corporation (OIDC).  As there is no harbour and a proper runway, Agalega is not accessible to tourists and visitors. The road networks comprises of sandy tracks. Only small aircrafts such as Dornier can land on the North island as there exists a landing strip made of compressed coal and sand. Cargo vessels anchor in the deep sea some 500 metres away from the only jetty.

Communication facilities do exist on both islands. However, internet service is slow. India has proposed to develop the island by the creation of a proper runway for bigger aircrafts and the construction of a bridge to ease access of the inhabitants to both islands.

Government Primary School at South Agalega

There are one government primary school and one State secondary school on North island whereas only one primary school is located on South island.  Some of the students cannot attend school during high tide and rough seas because the stretch of sand between the two island is not accessible. Sometimes they have to stay at home for an undetermined period of time until situation improve.

The level of education is somewhat low. Only a few students are successful at School Certificate. Consequently, limited number of students pursue tertiary education, and they must come to Mauritius to do so. Most of the Agaleans work in the public sector as Scavengers and handy man. Their main duties are to pluck coconut for the manufacture of coconut oil and maintain cleanliness of the village.

In order to improve communication facilities and the standard of living of the inhabitants, the EMTEL Co Ltd is planning to install two towers at two different locations on each island and some 12 kms of cables.  The company has recently sent a team there for that purpose. It comprised Engineers, Technicians and Manual Workers, amongst others.  It has also sought the assistance of the Forestry Service.  In this context two Forest Officers were delegated, namely Mr. A. Surroop and myself, for assessment and advice in order to prevent massive destruction of trees in relation with the EMTEL project.

                                               

We advised them to place these cables along the existing sandy tracts to limit cutting of a large number of trees.   Only a few dry Filao trees have then been cut on our intervention.  However, I observed that a large number of Filao trees are being affected by a disease with high casualties. These dead Filao trees stand along the sandy road networks and are a constant source of danger to road users and vehicular traffic. No concrete measures have been taken to eliminate the hazard by the Outer Island Development Corporation. Some hygienic operations need to be done to get rid of the moribund trees and check the disease. 

Unfortunately, there is very little forest management on the island. The forests of Agalega should be properly managed (Sustainable Forest Management) by a competent organization with qualified and trained personnel.  Moreover,  I am of opinion that Agroforestry could play an important role in food security for the local population. 

ROAMING ATTENDANCE TO DIGITAL ATTENDANCE

By C. Ramful, forestry_mauritius (CFCEO)

The introduction of digital attendance (fingerprint scanner) at the Forestry Service has been accepted by Forest Officers with mixed feelings. Obviously, this new technology is ensuring better accuracy and punctuality in the time of arrival and departure of those concerned. But, very often performance and productivity of a certain category of Officers outweigh their punctuality.

Roaming Attendance

Digital Attendance

Will anybody believe if one says that a few decades ago, there existed a breed of Forest Officers who were roaming with their attendance registers in the forests and also at home? Time of arrival and departure were inserted at their whims, sometimes even after a few days or a week. This may appear to be fiction or a concocted story, but it is not so. At times, truth is stranger than fiction or story.

Unfortunately, those golden days for some will never come back again!