Executive Summary

Gombrani is the largest calcarenitic islet of Rodrigues and holds the best remnants of vegetation community on calcarenite. Biodiversity value is high: the number of native plant species is the second highest among all Rodrigues islets, and so offers the best potential of long-term conservation of the unique associated plants and communities.

Although most of the coastal fringe is natural, inland, most of the area is overrun by alien weed with some residual patches of native plant community. The islet’s ecosystem has historically suffered various negative impacts; the problem of the introduced fodder acacia plant and invasive weeds still remains and threatens to extirpate further native species from the islet.

Locals use the beach on the islet and fishermen regularly visit the islet. The islet seems fire-prone.

Conservation and ecosystem rehabilitation is a priority objective. The goal of habitat restoration on Gombrani Island would be to rehabilitate the inner-littoral native community and to achieve self-sustaining native plant populations. This would entail both increasing the populations of the dwindling species present and re-introduction of species known to have once occurred on the islet, such as Arguisia argentea and Pandanus heterocarpus.

Zoning of the islet will facilitate management and focus activities in areas of greatest importance, and still allow the beach area to be used for recreation. The use of the islet for educational purposes would be limited, especially if Crab Island is developed as an education and public awareness focus.

The proposed restoration zone includes patches of native plants found within a Leucaena invaded area. This biotope forms part of the inner-littoral zone. And varies in the extent of its native component. Control of the invasive weeds is essential in this zone as it contains the most valuable floral elements of the islet.

The use of the Limited Access 1 zone of the islet for scientific research by both local and

Management Zones   Protection   Restoration   Limited Access 1   Open   Beach

international scientists needs to be encouraged.

Presently recreational use of the islet appears to restrict to the beach area. This would be allowed to continue, although the islet is not seen as a major tourist or recreational venue. The recreational area will need appropriate basic amenities.

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