The Republic of Mauritius Project Plan - RarePlanet

Hardwood trees such as the Bois d’Ebène (Diospyros egrettarum) became rare because their wood was valuable for building; giant
tortoises were driven to extinction for their meat, and whole areas of forest were cleared for agriculture (especially sugarcane),
settlement and development. Invasive plants and animals introduced by man have also contributed to the loss of many native species in
Mauritius. Exploitation, habitat destruction and the impact of invasive plants and animals have driven many of the native species to
extinction meaning that they are lost to the world forever. Many of the remaining species are extremely rare, restricted to remnants of
native forest in remote mountainous areas or on the outer islets of Mauritius, (MWF 2005)
The bay of Mahebourg is a national symbolic site, as it is the place where all the ships from Europe first landed in Mauritius. The South
East Trade Wind led the ships into the bay of Mahebourg where everything started. Grand Port is also the biggest natural port in the
Mascarenes.
The district of Grand-Port is named after the village of Old Grand Port which saw the first Dutch landing and the first port of the island. It
is centered on the town of Mahebourg on the coast, inside the Grand-Port Bay. Built by the Dutch and later taken over by the French,
the town is a reminder of the colonial past of the island.
Mauritius gained its independence on the 12 th March 1968 and became a Republic in March 1992. It has a multicultural society, made up
of descendants of immigrants from Africa, Asia and Europe. All the major religions are practiced. The total population was 1.236 million
in 2006 with a growth rate of about 1.1% per year. Over the next twenty years, population growth is expected to stabilize at
replacement levels or less, but as population density in Mauritius is already high with 600 people per km², the predicted population
growth (of 250,000 by 2010) will increase pressure on land use. Government policy is thus actively seeking to generate employment in
rural areas.
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