Participatory Community-based Conservation in the Anjozorobe Forest Corridor

Global importance

Another rich and unique ecosystem in Madagascar is the Malagasy central highlands (see map at the end of section 4) that cover a wide area encompassing almost the whole length of the island and represent 40% of the country's total area. Of all the country's ecosystems, the highlands have been the most exposed to human pressure (Steve Goodman and Daniel Rakotondravony, 1998).

Anjozorobe is home to one of the last large and unfragmented remnants of the central highland's natural ecosystems, including highland forests, watersheds and lakes (Jeannin Ranaivonasy & al., 2000). Two types of forest are present: high altitude humid forest (over 1500 m) and mountain humid forest (800 - 1500 m). The total area of the largest remaining and unfragmented forest zone in this region is about 66,500 ha. The corridor is still of sufficient size and integrity to guard safe populations sizes of plant and animal to maintain genetically health generations. Most other highland forested areas are fragmented to the point of threatening the genetic diversity of species.

Anjozorobe is the richest known forest highland sites for biodiversity of flora and fauna. Ten species out of the 33 existing in Madagascar are found in the Anjozorobe forest, versus 11 in Andasibe. Anjozorobe is nearly as rich as Andasibe, the most visited protected area in Madagascar. Endemic bird species present are the Mesitornis unicolor, of the endemic family Mesitornithidae, and two endemic sub-families, Couainae and Philepittinae. According to the last census made by FANAMBY in 1999, 423 plant species are found in this forest, 65% of which are endemic to Madagascar and taxa such as Pteris intricanta, a species observed for the first time in Madagascar. This species is rare and sporadic in tropical Africa.

Objectives

Since its creation, FANAMBY has worked to conserve forest ecosystems that contain high levels of biodiversity, such as Anjozorobe, but that have been neglected or that have no legal protection status. Open access to the forest, which leads to over harvesting and difficulty in assessing responsibility for communal lands, is the main reason for all types of destructive practices.

With the help of other institutions (government and NGOs) and the local population, FANAMBY's objective is to conserve the biodiversity of the Anjozorobe forest corridor that comprises blocks of threatened humid forests of eastern Madagascar and the largest intact remnants of Madagascar's highland forest ecosystem, while helping local people to benefit from sustainable natural resource management. The objective will be achieved by promoting a replicable model of sustainable community-based management within the context of a Regional Forest Reserve (RFR). To develop this model FANAMBY will use two general principles. One is based on the need to train and empower local and regional authorities to be the main actors in sustainable natural resource management. The other principle is adaptive management: a theoretical model that allows continued monitoring and evaluation for dynamic project improvement and recycling under complex environments dominated by uncertainty.

Current Corridor situation

The Anjozorobe forest corridor is exposed to various forms of pressures linked to social and demographic factors, such as slash and burn harvesting, timber exploitation, wild fires and above all to the inexistence of the most basic, yet necessary conditions for sound natural resource management, the lack of an appropriate institutional framework for conservation. If the current situation continues, pressure will not be controlled. This will result in the degradation, or even loss, of one of the last remnants of the central highland ecosystem.

FANAMBY has worked in the corridor for the last three years, during which time their team as increased their knowledge and understanding of biodiversity destruction, tested tools for working with the local population and government systems, and some of the short-falls in the institutional framework.

Strategy for conservation

To manage human and natural resource issues in the Anjozorobe corridor in a fashion that reduces degradation, FANAMBY will create the first legally constituted Regional Forest Reserve in Madagascar. The reserve will empower local populations to manage their resources through a three-tier management structure with all key stakeholders and government agencies represented. The RFR will be divided into zones according to Fokontany. The zones will be managed to maximize their relative endowment of resources, will incorporate a tax system that will provide greater returns to the local population and improve upon current land tenure rights. FANAMBY will develop local competencies in sustainable resources management in its intervention areas. FANAMBY will to promote sustainable conservation and sustainable biodiversity management by improving the human capacity to manage scarce resource issues. In compliance with the decentralization policy of Madagascar, these actions mainly aim at empowering populations at local level and involve them in all aspects of development, ranging from designing conservation and development programs to implementing them.