Journal de La Réserve Naturelle Nationale de St.Martin #40

45 Renforcer l’ancrage territorial et régional de la réserve Réserve Naturelle SAINT MARTIN Rei f r local and regional commitment to the réserve Action MS38  Participer aux réunions, maintenir et renforcer les partenariats avec les réseaux nationaux Organized every four years by the IUCN, the World Con- servation Congress is one of the most important events in support of biodiversity. On September 3-11, 2021 in Mar- seille, 13,000 organizations and 160 nations participated. Saint Martin was represented by Nicolas Maslach, le direc- tor of the Réserve Naturelle, with Pascal Alix Laborde, pres- ident of the territorial council’s environmental commission, and Lola Perez, assistant in the office of president Gibbs. The Collectivity and the Réserve worked hand-in-hand to present all of the assets of Saint Martin and its projects. The director of the Réserve made three presenations: the first, in English, was on exotic invasive marine species such as the lionfish (Pterois volitans) and Halophila stipulacea algae, and the Réserve’s efforts to control them. Next, invit- ed by Génération Mer, the “community that fights so that the ocean remains a global assest for humanity,” as part of the environmental awareness and educational activities created by reserves and marine parks, Maslach presented the Réserve’s pedagogical department’s projects, as well as the plans for the Caribbean Institute for insular Biodiversity (ICBI), whose goals include improving knowledge by way of its research and innovation center. That presentation was followed by the signature of the Réserve’s member- ship to Génération Mer. Finally, Maslash moderated a con- fernce open to the publc on marine mammals and notably humpback whales. The Réserve Naturelle at theWorld Conservation Congress De g. à d. : Lola Perez, Pascal Alix Laborde et NIcolas Maslach From left to right: Lola Perez, Pascal Alix Laborde et NIcolas Maslach A Speedy Recovery to Nicolas! On September, the day before the conference closed, Nicolas Maslach suffered a heart attack, luckily in the presence of a medical team from the marine-firefighers of Marseille, who were able to quickly revive him. Transferred to Saint Joseph Hospital, he was immediately operated on, with success. After a few days of obser- vation, he remained in a rehabilitation center for a month. He is currently on medical leave.