The NGO behind the Citadelle Project
Friends of the Environment is the Mauritian non-profit organisation managing the Citadelle Native Re-vegetation Project.
A Local Organisation with Connected Roots
Established in 1989, the work of Friends of the Environment (FoE) sits at the meeting point of environmental restoration, public awareness and heritage preservation in Mauritius, including its ecological restoration work at La Citadelle and the management of the Martello Tower Museum at La Preneuse.
The Citadelle Native Re-vegetation Project began as a pilot initiative in 2010 and since 2015, Friends of the Environment manages the northern flank of Petite Montagne in Port Louis.
The project is one of the main environmental initiatives from FoE and focuses on bringing native vegetation back to a highly degraded urban landscape.
Through this work, FoE aims to help create a self-sustaining native dry forest ecosystem on Petite Montagne while keeping the site open as a place for learning, volunteering and public engagement.
Natural Heritage
Through the Citadelle Native Re-vegetation Project, Friends of the Environment helps restore native and endemic vegetation on the slopes of Petite Montagne, while reconnecting people with Mauritian dry forest heritage in the heart of Port Louis.
Historical Heritage
Friends of the Environment also works in heritage preservation through the Martello Tower Museum at La Preneuse, a restored coastal defence tower linked to colonial and maritime history. Through guided visits and interpretation, the museum helps make this heritage accessible to the public.
Why this matters at La Citadelle
This experience matters because Petite Montagne is not only a restoration site. It is part of the wider landscape of Fort Adelaide, one of the most recognisable national heritage sites.
At La Citadelle, the work of FoE brings ecological restoration and heritage care into the same landscape, helping people connect with both native nature and the history of the place.