IUCN COMMISSION GROUP

IUCN SSC Mascarene Islands Plant Specialist Group

Group leadership

Dr Stéphane BARET

Co-Chair

I currently work on Restoration of native habitats, Ecology and Biological invasions. My current goal is to control alien plant species in order to conserve biodiversity. For this, i work since many years whith numerous partners (mainly NGO) in order to integrate population in conservation.

Dr Rabindra Vikash TATAYAH

Co-Chair

Dr Vikash Tatayah, Conservation Director of the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation, has been active in conservation for over 28 years. He trained in agriculture before joining conservation. He conducted a doctoral study on the Round Island Petrel Pterodroma arminjoniana. He manages conservation programmes on Mauritius, Rodrigues and outer islands that have allowed the recovery of a long list of threatened plants and animals. He participates in fund-raising for projects, awareness-raising and public relations initiatives, is a link with the Government of Mauritius and represents the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation on national conservation and environment consultations, the latest being the Wakashio wreck and oil spill. He also represents the organization with several key organisations (eg BirdLife, African Bird Club, IUCN, Critical Ecosystems Partnership Fund, Botanical Gardens Conservation International), and universities. Vikash has over 150 publications in peer-reviewed journals, (co)-authored several books and chapters, and has reviewed scientific articles. He has won or accepted several prizes locally and internationally e.g. Junior Chamber International (Mauritius) - The Outstanding Young Person 2009; Le Defi Media Group Awards 2018, in the context of the 50th Independence Anniversary of the Republic of Mauritius (One of 50 awardees for contribution to the country); acceptance of the Global Conservation Award 2018, 9th Global Conservation Gala, Philadelphia Zoo (US) on behalf of Rodrigues Environment Education Project, Mauritian Wildlife Foundation (Rodrigues); IUCN Species Survival Commission Chair’s Citation of Excellence 2019, 2020 and 2023, as Co-chair of Mascarene Islands Plant Specialist Group; on the occasion of the World Biodiversity Day 2020, the Critical Ecosystems Partnership Fund, Hotspots Hero (for the Madagascar and Indian Ocean Islands Biodiversity Hotspot; in June 2021 the 184th Commonwealth Points of Light; and one of the Mauriciens de l'Annee 2024. He is also the co-chair of the IUCN Mascarene Island Plant Specialist Group and member of several other Specialist Groups.

More about the Specialist Group

We envision producing factsheets on techniques for how to grow each rare plant species from La Réunion and publishing several conservation action plans for our most threatened endemic plant species. We also expect to prevent the complete loss of a patrimony and a unique biodiversity in the world: La Réunion dry forest.

Specialist Group work

We expect to keep an up-to-date database of all plants present in La Réunion in order to deliver regular Red List reassessments. We hope to increase knowledge and information exchange between researchers to ultimately improve the conservation of rare plant species from the Mascarene Islands.