The Ebony Forest Reserve is a privately managed conservation area in the hills above Chamarel, dedicated to restoring native Mauritian forest. The reserve protects one of the island's few remaining patches of semi-dry endemic forest, including genuine Mauritian ebony trees — slow-growing, dense-wooded trees that once covered much of the island's uplands and were logged nearly to extinction during the colonial period.
Guided walks through the forest take about 90 minutes and explain the ecology of native Mauritius — the endemic plants, the rare birds (including the Mauritius kestrel and the echo parakeet, both back from the edge of extinction), and the effort required to hold back the invasive species that are the main ongoing threat. It is a genuinely valuable conservation site presented thoughtfully, without the theme-park feel of some wildlife experiences on the island.