Mauritian Wildlife Foundation

Our Ecotours

Grande Montagne Nature Reserve

Since 1996, the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation has been active in the restoration of Grande Montagne Nature Reserve (GMNR) with endemic seedlings produced in its nursery (located at Solitude).

Grande Montagne is considered high altitude (300-350m) and is relatively wet with deep fertile soil.

The restoration work has progressed well due to the high success rate of the seedlings planted.

Several rare plants such as Ramosmania rodriguesii, Hibiscus liliiflorus, and Eugenia rodriguesensis are being successfully conserved in this reserve.

The Grande Montagne Nature Reserve is under the responsibility of the Rodrigues Department who also carry out restoration work in the Reserve and manage the Visitors Centre. MWF works closely with the Forestry Department.

Ecotourism at Grande Montagne
- Grande Montagne Nature Reserve is open to the public from Monday to Saturday for guided tours.
- No booking is required for tours at 9.30am & 13.15pm
- Tours at other times or for photographers can be booked in advance; Tel (230) 831-4862 [Grande Montagne] or (230) 831-4558 [Solitude] or email grandemont@mauritian-wildlife.org
- Information also to be found on "Our Ecotours".

MCB Rupys Offer
As a proud and privileged partner of the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation, the MCB promotes the discovery of the conservation efforts undertaken on Ile aux Aigrettes and Grande Montagne, as well as the protection of its endemic species. In line with this commitment, MCB Rupys clients can now enjoy a special offer on Ecotours visits.
More details on the offer here: MCB Rupys Offers

Brochures
Brochures of the GMNR Feuille d'Info de l'Ecotour Guidée and GMNR Factsheet 2021 can be accessed here.

Location
Grande Montagne Nature Reserve entrance is via the Interpretation centre which is to be found on the main road from Mont Lubin to Pointe Cotton, Rodrigues Island.

Awards

BIAZA Annual Awards 2011

Commendation

Best field conservation project

Restoration and reforestation of the Grande Montagne Nature Reserve, Rodrigues

Today, only a few relics of forest remain on Rodrigues and, with its high levels of species endemism and many threatened plants species, the island is a conservation priority. In some cases, surviving plants have been reduced to a handful of individuals, when not a single individual, or small isolated population(s). This has also had a considerable impact on the island’s native fauna, with just three endemic vertebrate species surviving today, and these are all red-listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The Grande Montagne Nature Reserve of 25.5ha is one of only two protected areas on mainland Rodrigues, however it suffers from widespread degradation. Consequently, the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation (MWF) promoted its designation as a Nature Reserve with the aim of restoring regions of native forest on Rodrigues and creating a viable habitat for its unique flora and fauna.

The project is currently implementing a ten year restoration plan with the objectives of:

· Restoring all or most of the Grande Montagne Nature Reserve.

· Supplementing the current population of threatened Rodriguan plant species through propagation and reintroduction.

· Enhancing community involvement by recruiting from the local workforce and promoting environmental awareness.

Since 1994, around 170,000 seedlings have been planted by the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation and the Rodrigues Forestry Service, 100,000 of those being planted by MWF since 2008 in 14.5h. 43 species have been planted since 1994 in the reserve with MWF planting 38 species since 2008.

Restoration activities continue with the aim of creating sustainable propagation techniques, furthering community involvement and enhancing ecotourism opportunities on Rodrigues.

Chester Zoo (North of England Zoological Society) who provide financial and technical support to this project was awarded this commendation by the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquaria (BIAZA), which strives to set high standards of management and ethics for all registered institutions and their programmes whether they are in-country or international.

Log In / Sign Up