SUSTAINABILITY
OUR PHILOSOPHY
At La Vieille Cheminée, we strive to operate in harmony with our natural surroundings, to take care of our guests and staff, and to positively impact our local communities.
Ultimately, we seek to sustain resources and communities, by promoting regenerative agriculture and farming practices.
We invite you to join us and experience an environment-friendly lifestyle on the farm.
Actions on the farm
The 80-Hectare property is owned by a family with strong ecological principles, and with a desire to share their farm and its various activities with their guests. Here are some of our ecological actions on the farm:
Recycling
Our products (Compost, Potting Soil, Wood chips…) are packed in bags which are 100% recyclable and made with 100% recycled plastic.
Sponsoring an NGO
For each bag sold, Rs 5 goes to Mission Verte, a Mauritian Environmental NGO.
http://missionverte.org/
Reduce Single Use Plastic
We work on reducing single use plastic in all the meals we prepare for our guests, in the choice of products we sell in the grocery shop and even in the use of paper instead of plastic bags in bathroom bins.
A Compost Bucket is provided outside each lodge.
You can help us to recycle your waste to make compost for the vegetables that will feed you!
Rain Collection System
From the highest roof at the Kiosk, the rain water is collected, stored into large underground tanks and reaches the lodges thanks to gravity.
Rain Collection & Irrigation
Water harvested from the roofs fills the ducks’ pond and overflows from the soiled pond to the vegetable garden via canals.
Regenerative agriculture
“Regenerative Agriculture” describes farming practices that, among other benefits, reverse climate change by rebuilding soil organic matter and restoring degraded soil biodiversity – resulting in both carbon drawdown and improving the water cycle.
The key to regenerative agriculture is that it not only “does no harm” to the land but actually improves it: it regenerates and revitalizes the soil and the environment. At La Vieille Cheminée, we incorporate permaculture and organic farming practices, including cover crops, crop rotation, composting and pasture cropping, to increase food production and regenerate our topsoil.
Reforestation, endemic forest & tree nursery
We are slowly trying to recreate the endemic forests of Mauritius as they were centuries ago.
More than 2,000 species have been planted over the last 10 years, as part of an ongoing re-forestation program.
If you want to be part of this initiative, pick a tree from our Endemic nursery and we’ll assist you in planting it.
No Chemicals
Since the 19th century, the land was used to harvest tea and sugar cane among other things. We have since abandoned intensive agriculture as well as the use of pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilizers.
We have adopted more traditional & sustainable techniques and now produce local fruits & vegetables, as well as Compost, Potting Soil and Wood Chips, all 100% natural.