Ecoregion conservation and community forestry development

The Moist Forests in South-Eastern Madagascar contain a very rich biodiversity. The development of the flora and fauna therein is spectacular thanks to a very favorable climate.
However, they are threatened by the activities of the local populations who depend on exploiting natural resources to live, on the forest in these circumstances. Midongy Forest Corridor is located in South Eastern part of Madagascar within the Atsimo Atsinanana Region.
The Corridor is formed with patches of forest and mountain rock. It links two protected areas (Midongy Befotaka National Park and, Special Reserve of Vondrozo), The corridor is the shelter of endemic plants and fauna species. With a view to the participatory management of forests with local communities, the WWF has been implementing the Community Forestry Project in Midongy du Sud since 2003.

The vision for the entire Ecoregion is: “The moist forests of Madagascar are conserved, restored and sustainably used thus maintaining representative biodiversity and providing economic benefits and ecological services to the Malagasy people.”

Linked to this vision, the goal of the Project is to improve the living conditions of the local populations through the sustainable and sustained exploitation of the natural resources.

In the Moist Forest Ecoregion in general and in the two intervention areas in particular, the way of life of the local populations rely on the use of natural resources (forest, land, water). The different functions of these natural resources (ecological, economic, and social) will therefore have to be maintained while offering the poor populations benefits that will enable them to come out of poverty.

The overall objectives are defined according to the strategic axes:

• Community Forestry,
• Conservation strategies of the corridors,
• Education and Fight against poverty,
• Exit strategies.

Community Forestry: Five forest management transfers contract signed for around 5000 ha areas under participative protections: Actions to raise awareness about the advantages of sustainable management of natural resources have been conducted in concert with the activities of the other axis. Four new emerging requests from grassroots communities within the rural Commune of Maliorano (of Midongy )with 209 members, among which 119 are men and 90 are women. 22 900 ha of forest massif identified as potential site for conservation.

Conservation Strategy axis: In order to cross-check the data gathered by satellite imagery, different field surveys regarding the potentialities of the Communes have been started in parallel with the PRMA. The activities to raise awareness and information gathering for the development of a monograph study of the Communes are still under way.

Education and combating poverty axis: Awareness-raising campaigns in new target Communes have started. Studies conducted using the Participatory Research Method of Approach (PRMA) are still being carried out; it is a support of forest management plan implementation. The fight against poverty always opens with trainings and support on improved agricultural techniques and safeguarding the environment. It has been agreed upon with the grassroots communities that at least a demonstration site should be available in each village. The agricultural practices in this site should integrate the trainings that the farmers have gained from the implementation of the Project. 10 more over groups of farmers emerged from new targeted area and are devoting themselves enthusiastically to vegetable production.

• Development of the strategy of management and conservation of the corridor: The studies and evaluating of the eastern part of the corridor will be continued.

•  Monitoring and evaluation of transfers at old sites: These evaluations will be accompanied by retraining the management committees in considering the Dina (social agreement and commitment and or rules to protect the forest), the application of the forest management plan.

• Motivation of farmers by technical assistance in agricultural production towards better food security (in quality and quantity) and consequently to the improvement of their sources of income through a revival of agriculture for export and agroforestry.

• Gathering data for the elaboration of a management scheme of the Corridor in agreement with the Regional Development Plan (Plan Régional de Développement).