For a week, 23 young people aged 12 to 17, from Saint-Fiel, a commune in the Creuse, discovered Saint-Martin while participating in an environmental preservation action with the Association for the Management of the Saint-Martin Nature Reserve (AGRNSM).
Their itinerary includes exploring the island, diving, and planting mangrove trees in the Reserve's nursery. These trees, essential to the mangrove ecosystem, form a land-sea ecosystem that protects the coast from swells and serves as a nursery for numerous fish species. On the island, this ecosystem was severely damaged by Hurricane Irma in 2017.
Since 2019, their youth center has been organizing trips for teenagers, after noticing that few activities were offered to them in the region during the summer. Paris, Edinburgh, New York, and Amsterdam had preceded Saint-Martin. This time, the goal was also to carry out a volunteer project. Thanks to a contact with the local nature reserve, the project was able to get off the ground. While one part of the group goes on an activity, the other part works at the plant nursery opposite the Salines d'Orient saltworks.
A volunteer commitment that won the hearts of the teenagers: “We feel like we're discovering the island more this way. It allows us to understand ecosystems different from our own,” say Manon and Jade, their hands full of soil. The two girls spent the day planting mangrove trees with their classmates, supervised by AGRNSM agents.
The trip, planned over six months, also involved the young people in reducing costs: raffles, quizzes, fundraising parties, and seeking sponsors. Part of the cost is financed by their municipality and department, the rest by their families.
A great way to discover Saint-Martin while participating in the preservation of its environment. _DR
