Cascade l'Exemple: A restoration project for the Jacotet watershed

ER Group, in collaboration with ER Hospitality and Agrïa, alongside conservation and ecological partners, is restoring Cascade l'Exemple, a site within the Jacotet River watershed in the Bel Ombre Nature Reserve. Running from January to December 2026, the project is funded by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) through its Madagascar and Indian Ocean Islands Biodiversity Hotspot (MADIO) Small Grants programme. The objective is to strengthen the site's ecological health, restore native habitats, and make the watershed more resilient over time.
 

Cascade l'Exemple is one of two waterfalls within the Bel Ombre Nature Reserve, the largest nature reserve in Mauritius at 1,300 hectares. It forms part of the wider Domaine de Bel Ombre, a 2,500-hectare estate that stretches from mountain slopes to the coast and is home to some of the island's last remaining endemic flora and fauna.
 

Why this site was chosen
 

Cascade l'Exemple was identified as a restoration priority through ER Group's Regenesis programme. Three things make it stand out: its place within the Jacotet River watershed, its closeness to a biodiversity area, and its ecological link to Black River Gorges National Park. Restoring this one site can therefore have a ripple effect, helping the wider network of habitats that native species rely on. And because it is easily accessible through the Bel Ombre Nature Reserve, visitors have a rare chance to see restoration happening firsthand and understand why protecting Mauritius' natural heritage matters.
 

While Mauritius' national conservation priorities have historically leaned toward marine and coastal protection, leaving inland, nature-based restoration in need of attention, this project stands out as a pioneering "ridge-to-reef" initiative at the national level for the COI-RECOS Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) programme, with ER Group and Reef Conservation ensuring implementation on the ground.
 

About the partnership
 

The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund is a joint initiative of l'Agence Française de Développement, Conservation International, the European Union, Fondation Franklinia, Fondation Hans Wilsdorf, the Global Environment Facility, the Government of Canada, the Government of Japan, the Hempel Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, and the World Bank. A fundamental goal of the fund is to ensure civil society is engaged in biodiversity conservation.
 

CEPF selected Cascade l'Exemple because the site matches the funding body's regional priorities, particularly building the resilience of species, ecosystems, and communities to climate change in biodiversity areas. ER Group is carrying out the work through ER Climate and Nature Foundation, turning scientific assessment into on-the-ground restoration.
 

From assessment to action
 

Since 2024, the team has been building a detailed picture of the site through drone mapping and on-site fieldwork with ecological partners like Reef Conservation, GroundTruth, and NatureMetrics, including environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling to identify species in the river and habitat surveys across the catchment and river corridor. The focus for 2026 is now shifting to action: growing endemic seedlings, clearing invasive species, and replanting native forest, all without uprooting trees, to keep the erosion-prone riverbanks stable and reduce invasive species cover by 50%. The team is also creating a 700-metre botanical trail with signage for visitors and training casual workers to recognise invasive species, with that knowledge later shared with local communities.

 

Why it matters beyond the site
 

This regeneration programme helps wildlife migration and strengthens ecological connectivity, while also helping control erosion, reduce flood risk, and limit sediment runoff into the lagoon, improving the health of marine ecosystems, including coral reefs.

Once the current phase concludes, care of the site will pass to the Bel Ombre Nature Reserve. This initiative continues ER Group's Regenesis programme and supports the biodiversity pillar of its Sustainability Strategy.