People restoring nature.
Nature inspiring people.
For more than two decades, the Ebony Forest team has been reshaping degraded landscapes and sharing our expertise with partners across Mauritius, the Indian Ocean and further afield.
Together, we’ve worked to protect and recover the island’s extraordinary and threatened endemic biodiversity. At the heart of every achievement—past and present—are the dedicated people whose passion, resilience, and hope drive our mission forward.
Our mission
Sov Nou Bann Andemik means Save our endemic species and ecosystems in Mauritian Creole.
History of Ebony
It all comes down to love
Ebony Forest exists because of Owen and Mary-Ann—two people whose love for snails, trees, birds, mountains, and the people of Mauritius sparked a journey that continues to grow.
It began in 2006, when our Restoration Team took on the monumental task of weeding, nurturing, and planting native and endemic species—often on steep, unforgiving terrain. Their dedication laid the foundation for everything that followed.
By 2017, with the opening of our Visitor Centre, our Awareness Team came to life—young, enthusiastic nature lovers eager to share the wonder of Mauritius’ biodiversity and inspire others to protect it.
After more than a decade of restoring forests at Ebony Forest and Vallée de L’Est, the next step became clear: to restore forest ecosystems by reviving the missing ecological relationships and safeguarding threatened fauna and flora from extinction. And so, our Conservation Team was born.
Today, all three teams work together—united by the same driving force that started it all: a deep love for Mauritius’ natural heritage and a determination to protect and restore it for generations to come.
Our teams
Our greatest assets are undoubtedly our passionate teams.
Restoration team
Our Restoration Team is made up of dedicated local men and women who are the true heroes of our mission.
Day after day, they brave the heat, rain, and steep slopes to take on invasive plants—an often grueling and sometimes discouraging task, as these weeds never give up easily.
But their perseverance pays off. The real victory comes when the native plants they carefully raised in our nursery and planted by hand start to thrive. As these young trees grow tall, they naturally shade out the invasive species, and little by little, a native forest begins to return. Their hard work doesn’t just restore ecosystems—it brings Mauritius’ natural heritage back to life.
Ebony Forest
Vallée De L’Est
Montagne Longue
Conservation team
Our Conservation Team is made up of passionate field staff who laugh a lot while working tirelessly to protect Mauritius’ most threatened fauna and flora.
From monitoring rare birds to searching for elusive reptiles and translocating animals, their days demand patience, precision, and deep care for the island’s most threatened species.
Based at Ebony Forest
Estelle De Sornay
Hand-rearing and husbandry / Pink Pigeon Coordinator
Nicolas Zuël
Conservation Manager
Laeticia Le Brette
Conservationist
Ophelie Dupré
Conservationist
Elisa Sooryamuyah
Conservationist
Nicolas Farla
Conservationist
Emmanuel Vengatasamy
Conservationist
Denis Li Lung Hok
Kestrel & Echo Coordinator
Jevika Atwaroo
Nursery Coordinator
Christelle Ferrière
Passerine Coordinator
Amanda Desiré
Husbandry staff
Based at Vallée De L’Est
Girisuta Subbrajan
Conservationist
Ryan Ram
Conservationist
Awareness team
Our Awareness Team is made up of passionate young men and women from Chamarel and the south of Mauritius who live and breathe the island’s wild places.
Their enthusiasm, local knowledge, and love for nature transform every visit into an inspiring experience—one that connects people to Mauritius’ extraordinary biodiversity and encourages them to join its conservation journey.
Aurore Brelu Brelu
Front Desk
Dinisha Naiko
Front Desk
Laeticia Vaillant
Front Desk
Avish Summun
Guide
Jean Francois Laboudeuse
Guide
Damien Lecordier
Guide
Lucy Louis
Guide
Brice Paul
Guide
Jouana Teeluck
Guide
Shane Emilien
Maintenance
Rajinee Valaydum
Housekeeping
Administration team
Behind the scenes, our small Administration Team keeps everything running smoothly.
Driven by a commitment to our mission, they manage logistics, coordination, and day-to-day operations that keep Ebony Forest on track.
Nethy Chunwan
Operations Manager
Christine Griffiths
General Manager
Sophie Jasmin
Administrative Officer
Ravisen Mooroogen
Accounts Officer
Small acts