National Botanical Garden of Seychelles

The National Botanical Garden of Seychelles (also known as Victoria Botanical Garden and Mont Fleuri Botanical Garden) in Mahé, Seychelles.

National Botanical Garden of Seychelles
Victoria Botanical Gardens or Mont Fleuri Botanical Gardens or Jardin Botanique
Main entrance to Seychelles National Botanical Gardens in Victoria, Seychelles (2019)
National Botanical Garden of Seychelles
Type	Botanical garden
Location	Mont Fleuri, Mahé, Seychelles
Coordinates	4.630737°S 55.4529919°E / -4.630737; 55.4529919
Area	15 acres
Opened	1901 (1901)
Operated by	Ministry of Agriculture, Climate Change & Environment
Visitors	26,000 per year
Status	Open year round
Website	Official website

History

The garden was founded in 1901 by Mauritian agronomist Paul Evenor Rivalz Dupont,^[1] who served as the Director of Agricultural Services and Naturalist of Seychelles, with the aim of creating an agricultural station.

As of March 2024 the botanical garden accommodate both departments of Seychelles' Ministry of Agriculture, Climate Change & Environment: the Department of Climate Change & Energy, and the Department of Environment, which is also tasked with overseeing the management of the place.^[2]

Research

The main objective of the garden is to function as a central hub for the preservation and study of biodiversity, featuring an arboretum and modern facilities for micropropagation and tissue culture. With an accession number of 500 and a cultivation taxa number of 150, the garden hosts special collections including a Biodiversity Centre and historically significant plants collected by its founder. Notably, it cultivates over 60% of the Seychelles' endemic flowering plants from the granitic islands, with an additional 20% undergoing trials in the propagation house. Active monitoring and management of invasive species are conducted to safeguard the native flora. The garden implements comprehensive conservation programmes, including efforts to conserve medicinal plants, ex situ conservation, and reintroduction programmes for endangered species, contributing significantly to the protection and restoration of Seychelles' unique biodiversity.^[3]

Gallery

• 
  Aldabrachelys gigantea, at the Botanical Garden
• 
  The main entry passage of the Botanical Garden
• 
  The Indian President, Pratibha Devisingh Patil visits the Botanical Garden, at Seychelles on May 01, 2012.
• 
  Several Lodoicea maldivica can be seen in the Botanical Garden
• 
  The Guangzhou Garden in the Botanical Garden of Victoria, Seychelles
• 
  Pandanus sechellarum, growing in the Botanical Garden
• 
  Etlingera elatior grows in the Botanical Garden
• 
  Alocasia macrorrhizos in the Botanic Garden
• 
  Entry timings of the Botanical Gardens

External links

• section of Seychelles Ministry of Environment.
• The Botanical Garden of Victoria an article and photos.

References

1. "Seychelles Botanical Gardens – A living green heritage". www.nation.sc (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 2024-03-25.
2. Publications, Europa (2022-08-05). The International Directory of Government 2022. Taylor & Francis (published 2022). ISBN 978-1-000-80068-5.
3. "National Botanic Gardens Foundation, Institution Code: MAHE". Botanic Gardens Conservation International. Retrieved 2024-03-25.