Mauritius has experienced a widespread decline in native species since its original settlement. According to the Mauritian Forestry Service, “only around 2% of the land area of Mauritius is considered to be covered with good quality native forests.” The Ministry of Environment & Sustainable Development’s 2011 Environment Outlook Report outlines invasive alien species as a major threat to the islan
d’s native biodiversity. Faced with the gravity of this situation, ELI Africa initiated Endemic Roots, a project whose objective is to preserve Mauritius’s endemic flora and make the environment better today for a better tomorrow. Through this initiative, the organization is reintroducing endemic trees and other flora in its ELI Endemic Forest found at Plaine des Roches. As at December 2014, ELI Africa has planted 791 endemic plants in the forest and for the year 2015, ELI Africa plans to double the number of endemic plants in the forest.
