Imagine having the means to buy an Island, what would you build on the island?
In 1962 a man by the name of Brendon Grimshaw purchased a small uninhabited island in Seychelles named Moyenne not knowing this remarkable purchase would define his life’s work. The English Man from Yorkshire bought Moyenne Island in Seychelles for £8,000. Over the next five decades, Grimshaw single-handedly transformed this small piece of paradise into a thriving ecosystem. He planted 16,000 trees, introduced and nurtured a population of giant tortoises, and created an environment that attracted diverse bird species.
Living as the island’s sole inhabitant from 1973 until his death in 2012, Grimshaw dedicated his life to conservation and refused lucrative offers to sell the island. Instead, he pursued a nobler goal: to have Moyenne declared a national park. His efforts came to fruition in 2008 when the island was officially designated as the world’s smallest national park.
Grimshaw’s legacy lives on in this 24-acre sanctuary, a testament to one man’s vision and commitment to preserving natural beauty for future generations.