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My name is Roger Graveson and I came to live in St Lucia in 1990 after an early retirement from teaching.
Since then I have developed a small guesthouse business with Henry Augustin called La Panache Guesthouse (www.lapanache.com) and this leaves me quite a bit of spare time to pursue my love of plants. Starting with no local knowledge, I have over the years managed to find, identify, photo and when necessary, make herbarium specimens for about 1200 species growing wild here – and the work goes on with orchids my target at the moment.
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Needless to say, this study has involved hundreds of field trips to all parts of this beautiful and very rugged country, with dry Atlantic coast, mangrove and fresh-water swamps, mountain rivers and sharp ridges leading to high peaks, covered by a very varied forest.
Tourists coming to St Lucia often go on group eco-tourist tours to the forest and other areas. They are fine for people who want a little taste of the real thing. |
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Some visitors however are more adventuresome and want to go off-trail trecking in the forest or have special interests such as bird watching or reptiles and it is for this group I am offering help.
Not only do I have intimate knowledge of the island I also know the people who can most help you.
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For example Melvin Smith without whom I would not have been able to tackle remote forest areas during the last 3 years.
This friendly and articulate young man is completely at home in the forest and has a good knowledge of plant and bird life as well as local traditional farming. |
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Also Donald Anthony the dynamic head of Wild life in the Department of Forests who has instigated the successful campaigns to protect the St. Lucia parrot and endemic reptiles.
He is able to offer help to those very serious animal and bird lovers who need detailed knowledge.
And Adams Toussaint also of the Department of Forests, a real expert on ornithology. |
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And others!
So if you want any information about St Lucia wild life or need advice, please feel free to contact me at roger@lapanache.com. |
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