Classified as a National Nature Reserve since 2008, Saint Paul’s Pond joined the list of wetlands of international importance protected by the Ramsar Convention on 1st August 2019.
Étang de Saint-Paul, La RéunionÉtang de Saint-Paul, La Réunion|
Now the largest protected coastal wetland area in the Mascarene Islands, Saint Paul’s Pond is also the best preserved and protected. It is home to an outstanding biodiversity and is a key habitat for multiple species of birds, fish, insects and plants. As the 49th French site, the 12th Overseas and the 4th in the Indian Ocean, Saint Paul’s Pond is Reunion Island’s first site to receive this world-class distinction.
Located on the west coast of Reunion Island, Saint Paul’s Pond is a freshwater pond fed by a few saltwater springs. It is home to a wide diversity of natural habitats which have a positive impact not only on the site’s own biodiversity but also on that of the entire 485 hectares of the Mascarene archipelago. The Ramsar seal of approval covers:
- Saint Paul’s Pond National Nature Reserve;
- The Bernica, Divon and Renaud ravines, listed as Natural Areas of Ecological, Faunistic and Floristic Interest (ZNIEFF) for their great biodiversity;
- The Bassin Vital and the Ravine La Plaine.
Activities at the Saint-Paul pond
On foot or by bike, with family or friends, on a visit or in a workshop, there is always at the Saint-Paul pond, a way to forge a bond with nature. For more information on the Régie RNNESP’s program of activities at the Saint-Paul pond for the months of July and August 2021, while respecting the health safety instructions, click HERE
The Ramsar Convention
The agreement on wetlands of international importance is more commonly known as the Ramsar Convention. It is one of the modern world’s oldest intergovernmental agreements on the environment to be signed in favour of the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands. Sites added to the Ramsar Convention list acquire new national and international status, and are recognised as being important to their country of location, but also to humanity as a whole.
PhotographePhotographe|
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