MG0020 Madagascar: WWF Programme Office



Project Summary:

This project supports the WWF Madagascar Programme Office, the role of which is to assure coordination and oversight of the WWF Madagascar country programme.
Priority Biomes % Strategies %
Forests 0Consumption & Pollution 0
Freshwater Ecosystems 0 EE & Capacity Building 0
Oceans and Coasts 0 Protected Areas 0
Non-Priority Biomes 0 Species 0
Non-Biome Specific 100 Sustainable Resource Use 0
Treaties & Legislation 0
Non-Priority Strategies 100

Project Background:

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Madagascar is a key conservation priority for WWF because of its unique species and habitats. In 1970 an IUCN conference, held in the capital Antananarivo, established priorities for a national conservation programme. This project began in 1976 to help develop a National Conservation Strategy for Madagascar. WWF Representation was officially established in Madagascar in June 1979.

Project Objectives:

1. To protect the biodiversity and maintenance of ecological functions in Madagascar to assure harmony between people and nature.

2. To promote sustainable management of renewable natural resources in selected zones.

3. To change people's attitudes and behaviour towards the environment.

4. To reinforce local capacity.

5. To protect species and sites.

6. To carry out actions leading to the application of adequate legislation.

7. To ensure that appropriate management, monitoring, and evaluation mechanisms are in place.

MG0020.1: WWF Programme Office (Apr. 78 - Jun. 97)

Activity Background:

Madagascar is of priority interest to WWF and continues to rank high in countries in need of conservation attention. Over the years, WWF has tried and tested various actions to strategically promote conservation. This approach has led to the identification of three major WWF activities in Madagascar: education, protected areas management, and institutional support. The programmatic approach to WWF's activities in Madagascar guarantees links between these themes and facilitates the establishment of indicators of achievement for the programme as a whole. The WWF

Madagascar Programme has grown markedly in its operational activities (field projects) and personnel. To maintain the momentum which has made WWF the driving force for conservation in Madagascar, support for the programme must be continued. The Madagascar Programme budget in FY1995/96 was about CHF5 million, of which one-fifth was required from private sector funds. This demonstrates the pro-active fundraising approach that programme staff and colleagues have adopted. The Madagascar Programme demonstrates clearly how "need" (biological importance and level of threat), "vision" (assessing priorities and strategic planning), "drive" (motivation and energy of project executants, in-country personnel and partners), and "reorientation" (follow-up, evaluation, and direction), can bring about a successful conservation programme.

Activity Objectives:

1. To coordinate and manage the WWF Madagascar Programme and direct the WWF Programme Office in Antananarivo.

2. To exercise responsibility for all WWF funds, equipment, and facilities within Madagascar and oversee the activities of all WWF staff and project personnel in the country.

3. To ensure that all WWF projects in Madagascar are properly managed, including review and approval of project workplans, budgets, and technical and financial reports.

4. To ensure a strategic focus in the development of WWF's Madagascar Programme at appropriate national and international fora.

5. To develop a communications strategy to promote WWF's policies and to publicize WWF's projects and activities.

6. To approve media and news releases.

7. To assist with and provide advice and support to WWF fundraising activities undertaken in Madagascar.

Major targets for FY1998 and beyond:

1. To develop the highest priority activities in the Strategic Plan.

2. To integrate fundraising and communications activities into the programme.

3. To participate strongly in the NEAP 2.

Activity Biomes:

Agricultural Land; Coral Reefs; Lake Systems; Littoral Zones; Mangrove; Marshes/Swamps; Mixed Mountain Systems; Tropical Dry Forest; Tropical Moist Forest; Tropical Woodland; Urban Zones.

Activity Methods:

Communications; Institutional Support and Development; Lobbying; Policy Development; Programme / Project Development; Programme / Project Evaluation; Training.

MG0023 Madagascar: Environmental Education Programme

Project Summary:

The ultimate aim of WWF's environmental education (EE) programme in Madagascar is to transform attitudes towards the environment in such a way that humans live in harmony with nature. In pursuit of this goal, the programme carries out a wide spectrum of activities, including the incorporation of EE in the official school curriculum; teacher training; production of education materials; the establishment of EE centres; education outreach around priority protected areas; publication of an environment and pedagogy magazine for secondary schools; and increasing the capacity of local NGOs. This ambitious programme is managed entirely by Malagasy professionals.
Priority Biomes % Strategies %
Forests 0Consumption & Pollution 0
Freshwater Ecosystems 0 EE & Capacity Building 100
Oceans and Coasts 0 Protected Areas 0
Non-Priority Biomes 0 Species 0
Non-Biome Specific 100 Sustainable Resource Use 0
Treaties & Legislation 0
Non-Priority Strategies 0

Project Background:

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In 1986 the government of Madagascar and WWF signed an agreement under which WWF would play a key role in environmental education (EE). A nationwide programme for schools was established. Although initial efforts were focused on the primary school curriculum, the intention was to extend this sub­project to secondary schools. A commission was set up by WWF and the Ministère de l'Education Nationale (MEN [Ministry of Education]) to identify priorities and to draft an addendum to the existing school curriculum. Tailor­made educational materials have been produced for primary schools and training courses are carried out for education administrators and Malagasy teachers. There is a desperate shortage of teaching materials and school manuals in Madagascar. The schoolbooks produced are often the only books a Malagasy child may have. These precious books also inform parents about key environmental issues. In 1989 WWF­Switzerland devoted an entire issue of their quarterly journal, "Revue Panda", to Madagascar, which proved extremely popular in that country. As a result, WWF­Switzerland and the Swiss government proposed to jointly fund the production of a magazine for secondary school students, entitled "Vintsy", which means Kingfisher in the Malagasy language. Because of its value and the interest it offers, the magazine is now read by the general public and about 75% of the school districts (Circonscriptions Scolaires) are covered by the publication. Student associations, named "Vintsy Clubs" (there are 27), intend to take up nature conservation activities and environemental protection with secondary school teachers.

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Under the project, three education centres have been established, in Tsimbazaza Botanical and Zoological Park in Madagascar's capital city, Antananarivo, in Fianarantsoa in 1994, and in Mahajanga in June 1996. This serves to raise local awareness and concern for the environment and to provide in­service training for teachers. The education programme has played a key role in initiating EE in WWF's Integrated Conservation and Development Projects (ICDPs) at Montagne d'Ambre, Andohahela, Beza Mahafaly, Marojejy, and Andringitra. Here the aim was to improve environmental awareness among local communities, and to encourage appropriate development and sustainable use of natural resources in these critical areas. In 1992, for administrative reasons, a decision was made to hand over education activities in these pilot zones to the respective national projects. The programme has also involved the use of various media and cooperation with NGOs. This will help raise public awareness and concern for the environment in Madagascar. The WWF education programme is carried out entirely by Malagasy professionals and is supervised by regular missions by the Senior Education Officer at WWF International. Responsibilitiy for project implementation is gradually being transferred to the Ministry of Education.

Project Objectives:

1. To introduce and implement environmental education in Madagascar's primary and secondary school curricula.

2. To train teacher trainers and teachers to make effective use of new materials and to transmit the conservation message to their students.

3. To produce an environment and pedagogy magazine for secondary schools, which provokes new ideas and provides a forum for young people to express evolving perceptions, and which also increases environmental awareness.

4. To improve education and awareness in populations around priority protected areas, facilitating the change from unsustainable practices to the wise use of natural resources.

5. To perpetuate environmental education to bring about a change of attitude and behaviour towards nature and sustainable development.

6. To establish environmental education and information centres for the country's six provinces.

7. To raise environmental awareness nationwide through NGO outreach.

MG0023.1: Coordination, Education, and Environmental Education Centres (Jan. 88 - Jun. 99)

Activity Background:

This activity serves as an umbrella for all the activities within the education programme and deals with the development and the implementation of the entire programme. Coordination includes all administrative aspects linked with the rest of the programme, such as salaries, vehicles, running costs, in­country travel, and training of programme personnel. The Ministry of Education (MEN) is working, in conjunction with WWF staff members, through two technical committees: MEN/WWF for primary and secondary levels, and an overall MEN Coordination Committee. Since FY1994/95 the activity has incorporated the Teacher's Training Programme (previously activity MG0023.02) and EE in School Curricula (previously activity MG0023.10).

In order to decentralize EE, in 1987 the Ministry of Education recommended the establishment of EE centres in the six provincial capitals. WWF undertook to gradually fund the construction and equipping of these centres, while the management and administration is left to appropriate authorities. Tsimbazaza Botanical and Zoological Park (TBZP), located in the middle of Antananarivo, is the ideal location to encourage all sorts of target audiences to visit the park, raise awareness about the unique flora and fauna of the country, and explain the relationship between people and the environment. The management of TBZP developed an education strategy in which the construction of an education centre was considered an important teaching tool. In 1988 WWF funded the construction of the centre, which was completed in 1989. It is now administered by TBZP's education team, in collaboration with provincial education authorities. The centre serves as an in-service training centre for teachers from the Antananarivo area. Another centre was created in 1994 in Fianarantsoa, and a third one in Mahajanga during World Environment Day in June 1996. Practical activities are centered on the application of elementary alternative technologies, based on research and initiatives for the rational management of natural resources and waste recycling. From FY1995/96 the activity incorporates these EE centres (previously activity MG0023.04).

Activity Objectives:

1. To manage the WWF Environmental Education Programme.

2. To help the Ministry of Education modify school programmes to include EE at all school levels.

3. To persuade the Ministry of Education to motivate civil servants at both national and provincial level.

4. To continue the planning and organization of decentralized training and further training courses for teachers and teacher trainers.

5. To continue the reprint and distribution of pedagogical materials for trainers and teachers, and to organize training courses on the use of these materials.

6. To increase direct assistance to schools and to groups of teachers in order to enable them to put into practice the techniques and methods learnt during the courses.

7. To monitor, follow up, and evaluate various activities contained in the programme.

8. To coordinate all WWF education activities in Madagascar.

9. To involve the Ministry of Education more in the management and implementation of the education programme, and to coordinate with the executing agencies as part of the Environmental Action Plan 2 (PA2).

10. To increase public awareness about environmental problems in Madagascar and the need for conservation.

11. To provide suitable education facilities, such as education centres, to train teachers and receive school classes.

12. To hold training and information sessions at the existing centres on themes which concern students, education people, women and peasants, in the form of workshops, training sessions and conferences; and to provide staff training and improvement either in sessions or by visiting other institutions/centres.

13. To organize exhibitions to be shown in schools or cultural centres throughout the country, and to organize media work on radio awareness.

14. To organize socio-cultural events around World Environment Day in the form of outings/visits to nature-oriented places and in the form of youth clubs which promote environmental activities.

15. To organize fundraising events for the centres.

Major targets for FY1998 and beyond:

1. To study all possible strategies for development of the project.

2. To incorporate the MEN/WWF project into the PAE2 (Environmental Action Plan2)

3. To ensure that project performance at all levels is maintained.

4. To maintain a good working relationship with the Ministry of Education.

5. To reinforce the capacity of the Ministry's staff.

6. To draw up funding requests for the implementation of the Education Programme.

Activity Methods:

Community Conservation; Education; Ethics; Institutional Support and Development; Programme / Project Development; Programme / Project Evaluation; Training.

MG0023.3: Production and Distribution of Educational Materials ­ "Ny Voary" (Jul. 87 - Jun. 99)

Activity Background:

From the very start of WWF's Education Programme in 1987, a technical commission, consisting of WWF and Ministry of Education staff, was formed at the primary school level. Its task was to produce and distribute teaching materials suitable for use in primary schools. In its experimental phase, the project produced 30,000 copies of a handbook entitled "Ny Voary" (meaning Nature) for all five primary grades, along with 10,000 complementary teaching guides. In 1988-1989 all 112 school districts in Madagascar received training and were provided with the appropriate materials. In 1990-1991 this first edition of primary school handbooks was evaluated and, as a direct result of the input of school directors, teachers, pupils and parents, the first edition was revised and improved. A second edition of 10,000 copies of each manual was printed and distributed in 1992. In July 1994 a proposal for a third, pilot phase edition of "Ny Voary" was submitted to the German Development Bank (KfW). Funds were forthcoming and in May 1995 30,000 readers, 10,000 pedagogical documents, 10,000 wallcharts, and 10,000 practical worksheets were published for primary schools; and 8,500 basic documents, 10,000 worksheets, and 15,000 posters were published for secondary schools. The materials for teachers are distributed during teacher training seminars, while materials for schools or pupils are distributed by WWF personnel during field visits. All 112 school circonscriptions of the country have received materials for primary level. This pilot phase edition was successfully evaluated in May 1996, the materials produced of interest not only to schools but to the general public as well. There are now plans to print three million copies for distribution to each primary school pupil over the course of two years.

Activity Objectives:

1. To assist the Malagasy education authorities in the production and distribution of essential educational materials to primary school teachers and pupils.

2. To help the Ministry of Education to reprint and distribute primary school reader "Ny Voary", and to eventually supply sufficient readers for each Malagasy pupil.

3. To assist the education authorities to develop, produce, and distribute materials for secondary schools.

4. To develop, produce, and distribute a guide on EE for NGO partners.

5. To develop, produce, and distribute a series of posters for use in schools.

6. To help the Malagasy education authorities develop, print, and distribute any material considered useful for the dissemination of EE techniques, at all school levels.

7. To provide schools with educational materials adapted to the realities of the country.

Major targets for FY1998 and beyond:

1. To supervise and control distribution.

2. To develop training on the utilization of the printed materials.

3. To control distribution in schools.

4. To ensure that the manuals and documents are valuable tools and pedagogical auxiliaries to teachers and pupils.

5. To discuss future perspectives with the Ministry of Education.

Activity Methods:

Communications; Education; Ethics; Institutional Support and Development, Training.

MG0023.8: "Vintsy" ­ Ecology Magazine for Secondary Schools (Jan. 91 - Jun. 99)

Activity Background:

This activity produces a quarterly environmental magazine entitled "Vintsy", which is targeted at secondary school students between the ages of 12 and 16. Each issue contains 24 pages, written in French and Malagasy. Production is handled by Malagasy professionals and takes place in Madagascar. In early 1991 a training workshop run by media experts from Switzerland and Madagascar resulted in the selection of three journalists to carry out the "Vintsy" project. By September 1994, 11 issues had been produced. The magazine is enormously popular, not only with the target group, but also with younger and older children, parents and other adults. With a circulation of 50,000, "Vintsy" is now the most widely read publication in Madagascar. A project evaluation was carried out in January 1995.

Activity Objectives:

1. To present environmental realities in Madagascar to further the reader's understanding.

2. To enthuse readers with a love of nature.

3. To explain the ecological processes which control the functioning of ecosystems.

4. To promote positive changes in readers' attitudes and behaviour towards the environment.

5. To encourage readers to form activist groups to further the cause of conservation.

6. To present the ideas of individuals and groups on how to provide solutions to environmental problems.

7. To denounce actions that have a negative effect on, or are harmful to, the environment.

8. To communicate WWF activities which are relevant to local conditions, both in Madagascar and worldwide.

9. To promote students' associations to Vintsy Clubs.

Major targets for FY1998 and beyond:

1. To target further audiences (e.g. workers, economic and political decision-makers) while keeping the initial recipients (schools).

2. To reach a maximum possible number of readers by realizing the distribution policy proposed by the Commercial Agent.

3. To establish "Vintsy" as the young people's magazine by its content, price, and quality.

4. To maintain the leadership role of "Vintsy" as the first ecology magazine.

5. To reinforce the capacity of existing and new Vintsy Clubs so that they become, in their respective regions, the partners and lobbyists for any activity with an environmental impact.

6. To make the Vintsy Clubs the magazine's local correspondents.

Activity Methods:

Communications; Education; Ethics; Institutional Support and Development.

MG0023.9: Capacity reinforcement (Nov. 91 - Jun. 99)

Activity Background:

Initially entitled "Awareness Raising through NGOs", this activity serves to promote environmental NGOs and associations, and introduces them to environmental and conservation concerns. The main problem for emerging NGOs is a lack of orientation, planning and training in carrying out their activities. Thirty associations are now active and have been given orientation advice and information; twenty have benefited from training in environmental protection; and fifteen have received grants to support their work. One hundred and thirty NGOs and associations have contacted WWF since 1989, of which 40 contacts were received during FY1995-1996. In its support role WWF provides information, financial and technical advice, and help with orientation, in order to make them dynamic and guide them to action in support of nature conservation and environmental protection. The outputs from Madagascar's growing NGO community may not be particularly high, but they are far from negligible in the context of the country's current economic condition, which is not favourable to the development of private initiatives.

Activity Objectives:

1. To disseminate information on nature and the environment through national and international NGOs that are active in the country.

2. To promote and assist the work of NGOs active in the field of environmental education, and the training of lead persons.

3. To collaborate with NGOs and help them set up environmental projects, especially in strategically important and protected areas.

4. To promote the creation of new NGOs for environmental protection, such as "Fikambanana Miaro ny Tontolo Iainana" (FMTI, environmental protection associations), decentralized throughout the country, and to assist them to set up their activities.

Major targets for FY1998 and beyond:

1. To develop activities in line with strategic planning decisions.

2. To develop community projects (of quarters or villages).

3. To consolidate cooperation and collaboration with integrated conservation and development projects (Education section).

4. To draw up funding requests for planned activities.

Activity Methods:

Community Conservation; Education; Ethics; Institutional Support and Development; Training.

MG0032 Madagascar: Biodiversity and Protected Areas Management

Project Summary:

The Biodiversity and Protected Areas Management Programme, supported under this project, is the WWF Madagascar Programme Office's principal mechanism for field conservation in protected areas, ecosystems at risk, and threatened species. The major tasks of this programme are to plan, coordinate, and provide in­country monitoring and supervision for selected experimental integrated conservation and development projects. The project also supplies a high level of support services, as well as advice to the government of Madagascar and diverse organizations.
Priority Biomes % Strategies %
Forests 100Consumption & Pollution 0
Freshwater Ecosystems 0 EE & Capacity Building 0
Oceans and Coasts 0 Protected Areas 0
Non-Priority Biomes 0 Species 0
Non-Biome Specific 0
Sustainable Resource Use 100 Treaties & Legislation 0
Non-Priority Strategies 0

Project Background:

Conserving all of Madagascar's current biodiversity and ecosystems without further loss is, in reality, likely to be an impossible task. Practical activities and objectives must therefore be prioritized in order to quickly safeguard those biological communities most at risk, while longer­term sustainable strategies are developed. This approach requires multidisciplinary tactics, involving protected area (PA) management, ecosystem­specific management programmes, threatened species conservation, improved natural resource utilization, research, educational and training opportunities, and, above all, integration of local communities into conservation initiatives. Integrated conservation and development projects (ICDP) for priority PAs will remain the programme's principal focus. A typical structure for ICDP is based on a central administrative service and three operational units: conservation/protection; rural development; and education/awareness. As there are no fixed solutions to the complex environmental problems threatening Madagascar's biodiversity, WWF's approach is to test the effectiveness of alternative types of intervention and to develop systems and methodologies appropriate to local conditions.

Project Objectives:

1. To manage Madagascar's protected areas and threatened ecosystems so that biological diversity is conserved and the use of natural resources is sustainable in the long term.

2. To establish a cadre of trained/experienced Malagasy conservation professionals for the management of protected areas and natural resources.

3. To ensure that priority protected areas are sustainably managed through effective community­based conservation and development systems.

4. To reduce, and eventually stop, unsustainable exploitation of Madagascar's natural resources through the development and dissemination of Sustainable Resource Use practices.

5. To develop and implement priority ecosystems and species at risk.

6. To further develop the capacity of Malagasy scientists for planning and carrying out ecological and socio­economic research.

7. To enhance the institutional capacity of the Association National pour la Gestion des Aires Protégées (ANGAP) and Direction des Eaux et Forêts (DEF) to manage protected areas, and to conserve threatened species and ecosystems.

MG0032.1: Biodiversity and Protected Areas Management (Aug. 86 - Jun. 99)

Activity Background:

The use of systematic planning and operating approaches, and the development of appropriate methods (essential to all ICDP), is of significant value in terms of building up Malagasy institutional capacity for future project management. In­country capacity is a critical factor in establishing viable long­term protected area (PA) management systems. Ultimately, local and national authorities must create management systems that meet local community needs while safeguarding the PAs, and these authorities must eventually develop a lasting trust with people affected by their actions. Similarly, the capacity for in­country non­governmental organizations (NGOs), including WWF, to support Ministries and their institutions in this complicated task must also be a focus of attention. Technology transfer to appropriate decision­making organizations must take place if PAs are to exist in the long term.

Activity Objectives:

1. To effectively protect 13 reserves/National Parks, six national forests, and one site of high biological interest.

2. To re­classify three integral reserves, three national forests, and one site of high biological interest.

3. To demarcate and re-design reserve boundaries.

4. To acquire detailed and progressive baseline information of biodiversity and socio­economic conditions for six project sites.

5. To accept and effect alternative methods of agriculture/livestock rearing in pilot villages.

6. To produce tree nurseries and outplantings in villages and forestry stations.

7. To train staff at all project levels: management and administration; tree nurseries; park wardens; foresters; agronomists; biologists; teachers; sociologists; and other development agents.

8. To produce and distribute public awareness materials for effective utilization.

9. To identify and adopt incentives to preclude entry into reserves and prevent misuse of natural resources.

10. To increase the standard of living (including income) at the community level.

11. To self­catalyse village activities based on those developed collaboratively by projects initiated in other villages.

Major targets for FY1998 and beyond:

1. To establish a cadre of trained and experienced Malagasy conservation professional for the management of protected areas and natural resources.

2. To sustainably manage the priority protected areas through effective community-based conservation and development systems.

3. To reduce and eventually stop the unsustainable exploitation of Madagascar's natural resources, through developing, reinforcing, and disseminating Sustainable Resource Use practices and research in alternative products and methods.

4. To develop and implement conservation programmes for priority ecosystems and species at risk.

5. To further develop the capacity of Malagasy scientists for planning and carrying out ecological and socio-economic research, in order to improve understanding of conservation problems and their potential solutions.

6. To ensure that the institutional capacity of ANGAP and DEF to develop environmental policy, to manage protected areas, and to conserve threatened species and ecosystems is enhanced.

Activity Biomes:

Agricultural Land; Coral Reefs; Lake Systems; Littoral Zones; Mangrove; Marshes/Swamps; Mixed Mountain Systems; Sea­grass Beds; Tropical Dry Forest; Tropical Grasslands and Savannas; Tropical Moist Forest; Tropical Woodland; Urban Zones.

Activity Methods:

Agriculture Management; Community Conservation; Ecotourism Development; Forest Management; Information Systems; Institutional Support and Development; Natural Resource Economics; Protected Area Establishment; Protected Area Management; Programme / Project Development; Research and Monitoring; Species Management; Training; Wildlife Trade Monitoring.

MG0047 Madagascar: Ecology Training Programme (ETP)

Project Summary:

The ecology training programme is designed to create a pool of highly trained (academically) and skilled (in the field) Malagasy conservation professionals. Long­term training is offered to a small selection of exceptional students through the Malagasy network of universities, supported by a library, computer equipment, and specialist supervision. Selection of a maximum of 10 students in any field related to conservation is made on a yearly basis. The students/researchers often undertake their studies in the context of other WWF projects.
Priority Biomes % Strategies %
Forests 80Consumption & Pollution 0
Freshwater Ecosystems 0 EE & Capacity Building 100
Oceans and Coasts 10 Protected Areas 0
Non-Priority Biomes 0 Species 0
Non-Biome Specific 10 Sustainable Resource Use 0
Treaties & Legislation 0
Non-Priority Strategies 0

Project Background:

The long­term success of Madagascar's National Conservation Strategy and Environmental Action Plan depends upon having the skills present in­country to implement these initiatives. Conservation projects now under way do provide occasions for technical and managerial training, but relatively few academic opportunities currently exist. Possibilities for high-quality academic training are vital as they allow and encourage exceptional students to develop to their fullest intellectual abilities. The demand by conservation organizations for well­trained Malagasy graduates currently exceeds supply. This imbalance is likely to be further aggravated in the future unless action is taken. It is essential therefore that efforts are made now to create a pool of highly skilled professionals who can become future environmental leaders and policy-makers. The Ecology Training Programme (ETP) is strongly oriented towards providing training within Madagascar; this is the most cost­effective approach and can reach a greater number of candidates. However, some support is reserved for long­term higher degree training, or short­term courses in other countries. Those going abroad for higher degree training are exceptional students with a proven capacity to compete with others for university places that are difficult to obtain. WWF support to these students is generally catalytic and the candidates are expected to find the greater part of their funding from competitive grants. Support is also conditional upon agreement by the candidate to take a position in Madagascar upon completion of his or her studies.

Project Objectives:

1. To ensure that talented Malagasy scientists and technicians have sufficient training in order to be effective conservation planners and policy-makers.

MG0047.1: Ecology Training Programme (ETP) (Jun. 91 - Jun. 99)

Activity Background:

The Ecology Training Programme (ETP) focuses on in­country support for students and researchers linked to universities or to national research institutes. Recipients are either nominated by their parent organizations, or approach WWF directly. As funds and other resources are limited, the decision to provide support is based on written proposals, and selection is competitive. Students who apply for in­country support must have adequate supervision in a Malagasy academic institution. However, additional external supervision is often provided for specialized subjects through the participation of expert scientists, based in US and European universities, who regularly visit Madagascar for their own research interests. These scientists either invite Malagasy students to participate in their research programmes, or they devote a portion of their time to providing supervision or field and laboratory training. This supervision has proved invaluable in terms of stimulating student interest in new theories, approaches, techniques, and fields of research. WWF also provides material and logistical support for the students and researchers. Within the Madagascar Programme Office a study room has been furnished with three computers and accessories, a range of word processing, spreadsheet, graphics and statistical software, map collection, over 100 books, and hundreds of original or photocopied articles from journals. Training in the use of this equipment is provided by WWF staff or visiting supervisors. The students and researchers have access to the Programme Office's growing library and map collection. Numerous scientific papers in international journals have been published, or are currently in press. An adequate investment now in Madagascar's researchers and students will help ensure that a cadre of highly trained, competent conservation professionals is available to assume lead roles within Madagascar's increasingly complex Environmental Action Plan.

Activity Objectives:

l. To generate academic and practical opportunities for Malagasy students and researchers in educational exchanges, research and training.

2. To train Malagasy students and researchers in scientific oral and written communications skills.

3. To provide logistical, financial, and supervisory support to Malagasy students in fields related to conservation, in collaboration with their university or other national institution.

Major targets for FY1998 and beyond:

1. To ensure that the Ecology Training Programme is operational in the context of the new structure of the WWF Madagascar Programme Office.

2. To try to ensure that Malagasy students and researchers trained through the ETP are later employed by governmental and non­governmental organizations working in the environmental sector in Madagascar.

Activity Biomes:

Littoral Zones; Tropical Dry Forest; Tropical Moist Forest.

Activity Methods:

Institutional Support and Development; Research and Monitoring; Training.

MG0048 Madagascar: Nature Conservation in Zombitse and Vohibasia

Project Summary:

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This project involves a conservation programme linked to rural development in south-western Madagascar. The forests of Vohibasia and Zombitse were selected for this programme because of their unique biodiversity, the high level of threat, their importance as Level 2 in the National Environmental Action Plan, and the feasibility of positive results. The approach established in this programme is unusual in that it involves very low investment from outside the region and high involvement of local people.
Priority Biomes % Strategies %
Forests 100Consumption & Pollution 0
Freshwater Ecosystems 0 EE & Capacity Building 20
Oceans and Coasts 0 Protected Areas 40
Non-Priority Biomes 0 Species 0
Non-Biome Specific 0 Sustainable Resource Use 40
Treaties & Legislation 0
Non-Priority Strategies 0

Project Background:

The scarcity and unpredictability of water has kept many southern environments in Madagascar relatively free of human pressures; these areas are too dry for subsistence farming or livestock production. However, as human populations grow and demands on natural resources escalate, native ecosystems of the south are coming under increasing threat. Rural people, living at a marginal level of subsistence, invest little in the land and fertility is rapidly exhausted. Consequently, native vegetation is cleared in search of better soil for cultivation, or to create pasture for grazing. Destruction of native forests in southern Madagascar has been most severe in accessible areas around larger urban centres, such as Toliara and Tolagnaro, where demand for fuel creates a market for charcoal. Charcoal production can lead to the complete disappearance of native forests. The charcoal makers in these areas also cultivate crops. They use shifting agriculture, with marginal productivity, and continuously need to clear land. These forces are rapidly shrinking and fragmenting the remaining forests. As fragile southern ecosystems often harbour species with highly restricted distributions, forest clearance can have serious consequences for biodiversity.

In the Zombitse and Vohibasia project, WWF is using different methods that require modest financial and technical investments to promote direct community­based conservation planning and management. Through this project, WWF will be able to examine the effectiveness of different investment levels, the degree to which local communities are willing to develop their own initiatives, and thus provide insights into the cost-effectiveness of various methods of promoting harmony between human needs and nature. Zombitse and Vohibasia forests are biologically important. They lie close to the boundary between the western and southern Domains, with a consequent high level of diversity. Few similar boundary zones remain intact. The two forests, which are near the main road between Antananarivo and Toliara, are easily accessible. At a distance of 140km, Zombitse is close enough to Toliara to profitably provide fuel and construction materials to this city. Recently, both Zombitse and Vohibasia have come under severe pressure as forests closer to Toliara have been cleared. Logging activities followed by charcoal production and maize farming have attracted migrants from other regions. The migrants become established around forest edges and clear significant areas of forest. Current practices are clearly unsustainable and human poverty in the region is increasing.

Project Objectives:

Main objective:

1. To preserve the Zombitse and Vohibasia forests so that the surrounding communities are able to satisfy their needs through Sustainable Resource Use .

Specific objectives:

1. To develop sustainable rural practices that are not harmful to natural environments.

2. To create and maintain an adequate protection system for the Zombitse and Vohibasia Classified Forests.

3. To promote education for youth in selected rural village sites.

4. To improve public awareness regarding environmental protection.

5. To promote possibilities of ecotourism development to the benefit of local populations.

6. To improve the capacity of local institutions responsible for environmental protection.

MG0048.1: Nature Conservation in Zombitse and Vohibasia (Aug. 92 - Jun. 98)

Activity Background:

Project plans, in terms of conservation, involve the direct protection of forests by rangers, with an organized infrastructure and support system. With regard to education and public awareness, formal and informal education programmes will be devised. Emphasis will be put on sustainable development, water management, agricultural production, and livestock rearing, amongst other plans. A key element of the project will be the creation of village action committees, motivated and organized, to tackle environmental and socio­economic needs.

Activity Objectives:

1. To organize, in collaboration with the WWF Madagascar Programme Office, the internal administrative procedures necessary for the smooth functioning of the project.

2. To set up an orientation committee and an executive team.

3. To select the members of the team to be hired by the project.

4. To set up working collaborations with: ANGAP, Ministère des Eaux et Forêts (MEF)/DEF in Antananarivo, MEF/Service Provincial des Eaux et Forêts (SPEF)/Circonscription des Eaux et Forêts (CIREF) in the province of Toliara, and the WWF Debt­for­Nature Project, and to establish relationships with governmental agencies and non­governmental organizations involved in the region.

5. To establish an on-site working base.

6. To conduct a socio­economic study of the two selected sites.

7. To create a Community Action Committee in each of the two targeted villages.

8. To compile a bibliography of existing work on the selected sites.

9. To carry out an aerial survey of the selected sites (Zombitse­Vohibasia), as well as of Tsimanampetsotsa Strict Nature Reserve.

10. To purchase and interpret both aerial photographic coverage and satellite imagery of the selected sites, and carry out ground-truthing.

11. To study the legal status of classified forests of Zombitse and Vohibasia, and verify their physical boundaries in collaboration with MEF/DEF/Service provincial des Eaux et Forêts Reboisement (SPEFR) Division.

12. To produce a draft land­use map of selected sites and of Tsimanampetsotsa Strict Nature Reserve.

13. To organize study visits to the Andohahela, Beza Mahafaly, and Morondova sauvegarde et amènagement des forêts (SAF) projects.

Activity Biomes:

Tropical Dry Forest.

Activity Methods:

Institutional Support and Development; Protected Area Establishment; Research and Monitoring; Training.

Activity Species:

Appert's greenbul (Phyllastrephus apperti); Benson's rockthrush (Monticola bensoni); Brown lemur (Lemur fulvus); Fork­marked dwarf­lemur (Phaner furcifer); Ring­tailed lemur (Lemur catta); Verreaux's sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi).

MG0048.2: Rural Development (Aug. 92 - Jun. 98)

Activity Background:

See Project Background.

Activity Objectives:

See Project Objectives.

Activity Methods:

Agriculture Management; Community Conservation; Institutional Support and Development.

MG0048.3: Conservation and Protection (Aug. 92 - Jun. 98)

Activity Background:

See Project Background.

Activity Objectives:

See Project Objectives.

Activity Biomes:

Tropical Dry Forest.

Activity Methods:

Community Conservation; Forest Management; Protected Area Management.

Activity Species:

Appert's greenbul (Phyllastrephus apperti); Benson's rockthrush (Monticola bensoni); Brown lemur (Lemur fulvus); Fork­marked dwarf­lemur (Phaner furcifer); Ring­tailed lemur (Lemur catta); Verreaux's sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi).

MG0048.4: Environmental Education (Aug. 92 - Jun. 98)

Activity Background:

See Project Background.

Activity Objectives:

See Project Objectives.

Activity Methods:

Education; Training.

MG0049 Madagascar: Ethnobotanical Training

Project Summary:

View Map

This project involves training Malagasy students and professionals in ethnobotany and ethnomedicine and related subjects. The focus is on the use of flora in health­care systems and, as such, an integrated health clinic was established at the base of the foothills of Manongarivo Special Reserve, Madagascar. The uses of medicinal plants are investigated, domestic production of certain of these plants is undertaken in a nearby village, and chemical analyses are then conducted at the University of Antananarivo.
Priority Biomes % Strategies %
Forests 100Consumption & Pollution 0
Freshwater Ecosystems 0 EE & Capacity Building 40
Oceans and Coasts 0 Protected Areas 20
Non-Priority Biomes 0 Species 0
Non-Biome Specific 0
Sustainable Resource Use 40 Treaties & Legislation 0
Non-Priority Strategies 0

Project Background:

Many plants in Madagascar are known to be useful for both medicinal and non­medicinal purposes. However, information about these plants has not been well documented, due in part to the lack of trained Malagasy personnel. If this is to change it is essential to generate interest in conservation work and to provide training opportunities. This project involves training in ethnobotanical techniques. Fieldwork is carried out at different localities in Madagascar.

The activities of this project are aimed at helping to build Madagascar's capacity in ethnobotany and related disciplines (areas that look at people's links with biodiversity through their use of biodiversity). They also consciously target and harness local communities' links with (knowledge of and dependence on) local biodiversity as a positive tool to help conserve local biocultural diversity, while at the same time improving the well­being of these communities through the sustainable use of local resources.

Project Objectives:

1. To involve or train Malagasy scientists in the field of ethnobotany and related subjects.

2. To collaborate with villages in Manongarivo Special Reserve to determine plants used and to promote conservation of plants and habitats.

3. To determine medicinal plant usage and investigate their activity through chemical and related studies.

4. To work towards development of integrated health care, using a combination of traditional and western medicines.

5. To contribute to the development of public awareness programmes about environmental issues.

6. To continue the collection and compilation of data on the flora of Madagascar, especially those with medicinal uses.

MG0049.1: Ethnobotanical Training (Oct. 92 - Jun. 97)

Activity Background:

This activity concentrates on: fundamental and applied research through formal and informal training, in field and laboratory settings, directed at helping to solve local conservation and related development problems; production of theses by trainees, receiving formal training, to enable them to obtain their academic degrees in their respective fields of study; carrying out special training programmes in laboratory techniques for selected trainees; and the participation in seminars by trainees.

Activity Objectives:

1. To train Malagasy scientists (students and professionals) in conservation­based ethnobotany and related disciplines.

2. To collect data on the useful flora of Madagascar, with particular reference to medicinal plants.

3. To initiate laboratory research into medicinal plants.

4. To assess the conservation requirements and priorities in the areas covered by project activities.

Activity Biomes:

Tropical Dry Forest; Tropical Moist Forest.

Activity Methods:

Communications; Education; Institutional Support and Development; Research and Monitoring; Training.

MG0049.2: Integrated Health Care Clinic (May. 93 - Jun. 99)

Activity Background:

This activity focuses on: the examination of villagers in Manongarivo Special Reserve to identify, diagnose, and determine the distribution of diseases in the area; interviewing local people (lay people and specialists) to collect information on treatment of diseases in their area (especially on the use of medicinal plants); the collection of observational data on the effect of the population on the forest of Manongarivo Special Reserve. The integrated clinic, which has been built in Ambodisakoana, will serve the communities in the project area.

Activity Objectives:

1. To reinforce the Integrated Health Care System in the Manongarivo area through the use of both medicinal plants and modern medicines.

2. To increase local awareness of the importance of using local medicinal plants in a sustainable manner to meet some of their health needs.

3. To help set up a Local Health Committee for the Manongarivo area.

4. To increase local awareness of the importance of personal hygiene for the prevention of certain diseases.

5. To help train Malagasy personnel in the area of medicinal plant research, especially the capacity to carry out in­country laboratory investigations.

Activity Biomes:

Tropical Moist Forest.

Activity Methods:

Community Conservation; Communications; Education; Forest Management; Institutional Support and Development; Lobbying; Protected Area Management; Research and Monitoring; Training.

MG0055 Madagascar: Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve - Training and Research Centre

Project Summary:

This project aims to integrate research and training in conservation, biology, and socio­economic development, to help protect an area of spiny and gallery forest in southern Madagascar. In addition, certain development activities are undertaken to reinforce the support of local communities and to promote active local associations.
Priority Biomes % Strategies %
Forests 100Consumption & Pollution 0
Freshwater Ecosystems 0 EE & Capacity Building 0
Oceans and Coasts 0 Protected Areas 50
Non-Priority Biomes 0 Species 0
Non-Biome Specific 0 Sustainable Resource Use 50
Treaties & Legislation 0
Non-Priority Strategies 0

Project Background:

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Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve was the first Malagasy protected area (PA) to benefit from a conservation project. This involved direct protection and training in applied research and rural development initiatives, now recognized as the basis of integrated conservation and development projects (IDCPs). Interest in developing a project at Beza Mahafaly began in 1977 when scientists from Antananarivo, Washington, and Yale Universities selected a site in the arid south-west for research and training. Beza Mahafaly was chosen because of encouragement from local communities, together with support from the Direction of Water and Forests, Malagasy and American universities, and conservation organizations. This eventually culminated in the creation of the reserve in 1985 and the strengthening of research, training, conservation/protection and rural development activities. The reserve includes two parcels of different forest types - dry thorn thicket and riverine forest - covering 520ha and 80ha respectively. Riverine forests, which extend less than 1.5km from the river's edge, have probably always been naturally rare, and few contiguous tracts remain. They are often the first habitats to be cleare because of their fertile alluvial soils and nearby water supply. Populations of animal species are often at their highest in riverine forests because they constitute relatively safe refuges with more predictable resources compared to harsher environments nearby.

Project Objectives:

1. To create a cadre of trained and competent conservation personnel, particular focus being given to addressing the problems of the arid south-west and on integrated conservation and development under the south's harsh conditions.

2. To conserve Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve as a representative area of Madagascar's unique south-western ecosystems.

3. To establish a centre for training conservation professionals.

4. To ensure hypotheses are defined, tested, and refined concerning the maintenance of biodiversity and sustainable development practices.

5. To train Malagasy students in ecology and environmental sciences, through workshops, field schools and research projects.

6. To train "Agents de Protection de la Nature" and local user groups in community­based conservation and natural resource management methods appropriate to the south-west.

7. To expand Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve and to enhance its integrity by physically linking the two parcels; and to ensure financial self­sufficiency for the reserve and its conservation and research programmes.

MG0055.1: Conservation and Development (Jul. 90 - Jun. 99)

Activity Background:

See Project Background.

Activity Objectives:

See Project Objectives.

Activity Biomes:

Desert.

Activity Methods:

Ecotourism Development; Protected Area Management.

MG0060 Madagascar: Andohahela Reserve ­ Integrated Conservation and Development

Project Summary:

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This project aims to maintain and protect the biodiversity and ecological processes of the Andohahela Reserve system through integrated conservation efforts, development initiatives, and by reinforcing them with education and research. While the project can be classed as an integrated conservation and development project (ICDP), it is unusual that the project partners are all Malagasy NGOs, governmental oganizations, and decentralized or local associations. Thus the project also aims to reinforce these institutions and, as rapidly as possible, affect a transfer of responsibility for certain activities.
Priority Biomes % Strategies %
Forests 100Consumption & Pollution 0
Freshwater Ecosystems 0 EE & Capacity Building 0
Oceans and Coasts 0 Protected Areas 50
Non-Priority Biomes 0 Species 0
Non-Biome Specific 0 Sustainable Resource Use 50
Treaties & Legislation 0
Non-Priority Strategies 0

Project Background:

The Andohahela Reserve is made up of three non­contiguous parcels. The largest parcel (No. 1, covering 63,100ha) delimits a section of rugged mountains rising to nearly 2,000m, which are mostly covered by moist evergreen forests. Parcel No. 2 (2,420ha) lies entirely within the southern Domain and supports the thorn thicket that is typical of this biogeographic region. Parcel No. 3 (500ha) is a small enclave of residual transition east/west forest that was added to the reserve to protect the rare, endemic triangulated palm (Neodypsis decaryi) and a nearby narrow band of transitional forest.

Biologically, Andohahela is unique. It spans Madagascar's two most divergent biogeographic regions, the moist forests of the eastern centre of endemism and the semi­arid thorn scrub of the southern Domain. Contact between these vegetation zones has been severely reduced by habitat clearance and the only transition zones remain in Andohahela and in the adjacent national forests. Andohahela harbours four of the six Malagasy phytogeographic domains. As a result, biodiversity and the number of regional endemics is exceptionally high. The reserve plays a dominant role in the economy of the south-east. Relief rainfall generated by Andohahela's high mountains provides a year­round water supply, vital to local rural economies. The mountains' protective forest cover keeps streams largely free of sediment. These water supplies are especially important for communities on the western side, a rain shadow area where semi­arid conditions prevail. The principal threats to Andohahela's biodiversity are from poverty-driven human activities, a lack of fertile land and water resources, and a dearth of opportunities to use or develop appropriate technologies. Dwindling or limited supplies of many natural resources are another important factor. These problems are intricately linked with traditional views that forests are unlimited entities that will always be available for exploitation.

Since the project began in 1986, local authorities and communities have been overwhelmingly in favour of having an integrated conservation and development initiative in the region. The Andohahela project is structured along the three operational units of conservation/protection, rural development, and education/awareness. Planning is greatly facilitated by the project's previous activities, which were based on grass roots intervention from a very early stage.

Project Objectives:

1. To maintain the biodiversity and ecological processes in the Andohahela Strict Nature Reserve and surrounding classified forests and natural areas.

2. To replace destructive exploitation of the reserve's resources with sustainable alternatives.

3. To address the social and economic needs of people living around the protected areas in an effort to balance the costs of conservation with benefits.

4. To create an appreciation among local residents of the relationship between conservation and development.

5. To review the legal limits and status governing the reserves with a view to establishing a more appropriate delimitation and reclassification, which could lead to tourist development and an increase in economic returns to local residents.

6. To develop an effective system of education and biological and social research within the reserve by both students and conservation professionals.

7. To reinforce the capacity of local institutions (both governmental and non­governmental) and village associations to manage natural areas and promote sustainable conservation and development activities.

MG0060.1: Coordination (Jan. 90 - Jun. 97)

Activity Background:

The Andohahela project is a large, complex undertaking. Coordination activities include such functions as project management, administration, finances, planning, reporting, and logistical support.

Activity Objectives:

See Project Objective 7.

Major targets for FY1998 and beyond:

1. To secure funding for NGO partners for social and development programmes in Andohahela periphery.

2. To implement forest management programmes in Fanjahira and Tsitongambarika in collaboration with the Forest Service.

Activity Biomes:

Tropical Dry Forest; Tropical Woodland.

Activity Methods:

Agriculture Management; Community Conservation; Education; Forest Management; Protected Area Management; Research and Monitoring; Training.

Activity Species:

Baobab (Adansonia digitata); Coquerel's dwarf­lemur (Microcebus coquereli); Lesser mouse lemur (Microcebus murinus); Radiated tortoise (Geochelone radiata); Spider tortoise (Pyxis arachnoides).

MG0060.2: Rural Development (Jan. 90 - Jun. 97)

Activity Background:

Rural development activities are linked to the conservation of the region's protected areas. Development activities are targeted to address the primary pressures facing these areas.

Activity Objectives:

See Project Objectives 2 and 3.

Major targets for FY1998 and beyond:

1. To collaborate with ANGAP on educational and interpretive programmes on Andohahela Reserve.

2. To ensure the self-supporting cost effectiveness of Andohahela Reserve.

Activity Methods:

Community Conservation.

MG0060.3: Conservation and Protection (Jan. 90 - Jun. 97)

Activity Background:

The official boundaries of Andohahela are not respected and do not reflect conservation priorities. The reserve's status as a strict nature reserve prohibits tourism. The resources of the area's forests are not being utilized in a sustainable fashion.

Activity Objectives:

See Project Objective 5.

Major targets for FY1998 and beyond:

1. To develop a self­supporting management programme for Fanjahira.

2. To develop a successful programme in pilot villages around Tsitongambarika forests which can be duplicated elsewhere.

Activity Methods:

Protected Area Management.

MG0060.4: Environmental Education (Jan. 90 - Jun. 97)

Activity Background:

The Education Team has been expanded to four members and activities now include communication and public relations.

Activity Objectives:

See Project Objective 4.

Activity Methods:

Education.

MG0060.5: Monitoring and Evaluation (Nov. 93 - Jun. 97)

Activity Background:

Monitoring and evaluation systems are designed to help measure the impact of the project's activities and to provide staff with feedback on the effectiveness of their actions.

Activity Objectives:

See Project Objective 6.

Major targets for FY1998 and beyond:

1. To involve national research institutions in socio-economic and ecological monitoring programmes in and around Andohahela.

2. To provide a functional GIS system that is accessible to all organizations working within the region.

Activity Biomes:

Tropical Dry Forest; Tropical Woodland.

Activity Methods:

Agriculture Management; Community Conservation; Education; Forest Management; Protected Area Management; Research and Monitoring; Training.

Activity Species:

Baobab (Adansonia digitata); Coquerel's dwarf­lemur (Microcebus coquereli); Lesser mouse lemur (Microcebus murinus); Radiated tortoise (Geochelone radiata); Spider tortoise (Pyxis arachnoides).

MG0061 Madagascar: Montagne d'Ambre Protected Areas ICDP

Project Summary:

This integrated conservation and development project helps ensure the long­term survival of Madagascar's Montagne d'Ambre forest ecosystems. Together these forests make up one of the country's richest areas of biodiversity. The project concentrates on small­scale, locally based initiatives in natural resource management, reserve protection, rural development, education and public awareness. Research, training, and institution building are also fundamental elements of the project.
Priority Biomes % Strategies %
Forests 100Consumption & Pollution 0
Freshwater Ecosystems 0 EE & Capacity Building 0
Oceans and Coasts 0 Protected Areas 50
Non-Priority Biomes 0 Species 0
Non-Biome Specific 0 Sustainable Resource Use 50
Treaties & Legislation 0
Non-Priority Strategies 0

Project Background:

View Map

The Montagne d'Ambre Protected Areas integrated conservation and development project (ICDP) in the extreme north of Madagascar comprises four protected areas (PAs): Montagne d'Ambre National Park and the Special Reserves of Ankarana, Analamera, and Forêt d'Ambre. This region, with its variety of substrates, elevations and microclimates, is one of the island's most ecologically diverse. The volcanic Montagne d'Ambre massif, rising to 1,475m, is sufficiently high to generate rainfall exceeding 3m per year and to support lush evergreen forests on its fertile slopes. The Forêt d'Ambre Special Reserve, lying at slightly lower elevations, constitutes one of the few remaining species­rich transitional zones, between dry deciduous and eastern moist forests. In abrupt contrast to these two forests, the uplifted limestone blocks of Ankarana and Analamera are dominated by western forest species. In addition, the Ankarana reserve contains a system of unique and spectacular karstic pinnacles, with extensive caves and underground rivers.

With such a rich diversity of biomes and habitats it is not surprising that the degree of local endemism is also strikingly high. Each of these four PAs plays a positive role in the lives of local people. The forests of Montagne d'Ambre retain water for those living in the immediate vicinity, as well as for inhabitants of the provincial capital, Antsiranana, Madagascar's fifth-largest city (population 80,000). The rivers originating in these forests are the only source of year­round water, upon which the region's agriculture, industry, and domestic supply depend. The economic importance of the forest in maintaining this permanent water source should not be underestimated. The loss of natural vegetative cover during the past 25 years has been accompanied by the drying up of many of the massif's smaller streams. The core problems driving people to clear natural habitats and overexploit natural resources have been identified as inequitable land tenure, increasing population pressure, and the inefficient management of water, soil, and forest resources.

The Montagne d'Ambre project is currently operating under a three-year US$2.7 million grant from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) (Savem Phase II) that started in February 1994. Partners in the Phase II activities include WWF­US, WWF International, and Veterinaires Sans Frontieres (VSF). The project's initial USAID operational programme grant of US$795,000 ran from October 1989 to June 1993.

Project Objectives:

1. To assure the effective protection and management of the four protected areas (PAs) of the Amber Mountain Complex.

2. To diminish the pressure on the PAs through the development and implementation of sustainable rural development activities which provide alternatives for the local communities, including the development of ecotourism in the PAs.

3. To develop and enhance a liaison between conservation and development activities in such a way that there will be a change in attitudes towards, and an improvement of respect for, protected areas.

4. To stimulate and assure the transfer of competence and abilities between the project and governmental, as well as non­governmental, institutions.

MG0061.1: Project Coordination (Jan. 90 - Jun. 97)

Activity Background:

Coordination activities encompass the functions that are necessary for the effective and efficient operation of the project: project management, administration, finances, planning, reporting, and logistical support. This activity also includes initiatives that cut across the thematic issues of conservation, development, and education.

Activity Objectives:

See Project Objective 4.

Activity Biomes:

Mixed Mountain Systems; River Systems; Tropical Dry Forest; Tropical Moist Forest.

Activity Methods:

Agriculture Management; Community Conservation; Ecotourism Development; Education; Forest Management; Protected Area Management; Research and Monitoring.

Activity Species:

Crested owl (Lophostrix cristata); Crowned lemur (Lemur coronatus); Madagascar fish­eagle (Haliaeetus vociferoides); Sandford's lemur (Lemur fulvus sandfordi).

MG0061.3: Conservation and Protection (Jan. 90 - Jun. 97)

Activity Background:

Conservation activities revolve around managing the four PAs under the project's jurisdiction. Biodiversity conservation, tourism development, and ecological restoration are the primary components of the conservation efforts.

Activity Objectives:

See Project Objective 1.

Activity Methods:

Ecotourism Development; Protected Area Management.

MG0061.4: Environmental Education (EE) (Jan. 90 - Jun. 97)

Activity Background:

The education and public awareness component of the project will promote the adoption of a longer-term perspective on natural resource use. This activity targets all sectors of the community, from schoolchildren to adults, farmers to politicians, and decision­makers to followers.

Activity Objectives:

See Project Objective 3.

Activity Methods:

Education.

MG0061.5: Monitoring & Evaluation (Jan. 90 - Jun. 97)

Activity Background:

See Project Background.

Activity Objectives:

See Project Objectives.

Activity Methods:

Programme / Project Evaluation.

MG0062 Madagascar: Debt­for­Nature Programme

Project Summary:

This project uses the 'debt­swap' mechanism to provide funds to support the Ministry of Water and Forests in managing and maintaining the natural environments for which it is responsible.
Priority Biomes % Strategies %
Forests 0Consumption & Pollution 0
Freshwater Ecosystems 0 EE & Capacity Building 0
Oceans and Coasts 0 Protected Areas 0
Non-Priority Biomes 0 Species 0
Non-Biome Specific 100 Sustainable Resource Use 0
Treaties & Legislation 0
Non-Priority Strategies 100

Project Background:

In the early drafts of Madagascar's Environmental Action Plan, there was little or no provision for safeguarding and supporting lower­priority and proposed new PAs, at least for the first few year's of the plan's implementation. This meant that more than half of Madagascar's PAs were to remain vulnerable for several years. Because some new sites were considered to be high priorities previously overlooked, WWF developed a programme to address these problems. Fortunately, USAID was interested in supporting a substantial debt­for­nature initiative, and agreed to work with WWF to bring the two organization's interests together into a common programme. The resulting "debt­for­nature" agreement, signed in 1989, involved a programme of support to the Ministry of Water and Forests, providing sufficient funding and technical assistance to enable the Ministry to assume its mandate to safeguard and manage all PAs and other important natural habitats.

The debt swap mechanism is particularly constructive because all partners benefit. Malagasy external commercial debt, amounting to US$3 million, was purchased by WWF at approximately half of its face value. When converted by the Malagasy Central Bank into local currency for this programme, the funds were given their full face value. Madagascar's Central Bank benefited from this arrangement as a significant proportion of its difficult­to­service foreign currency debt was paid off. Convertible currency payments depend on credit being raised through export revenues. These funds are always difficult to raise compared to local currency. WWF and the Ministry of Water and Forests benefited in that the swap doubled the funds invested in this conservation programme.

The WWF debt­for­nature agreement was the first to be carried out in the African region, and differs substantially from all previous debt­swaps throughout the world. This difference arose from a fortunate change in US law, whereby local currency funds arising from debt­swaps could be invested and the interest earned used for project activities rather than be reimbursed to the US Government (as was the case in the past). Hence, the Debt-for-Nature Programme can now run most of its activities from accrued interest alone and thus maintain support to the Ministry over a longer period of time. This change has enabled the programme to shift its orientation from stop­gap to longer­term support.

In 1994-1995 the programme implemented the Forestry Support Unit (FSU), aimed at improving the protection of Malagasy rainforests by increasing the technical and material resources available to in­service foresters and to concerned village organizations. The Malagasy forest protection policy has three component parts: (a) the "Agent Forestier" (traditional foresters); (b) the "Agents pour la Protection de la Nature" (APNs); and (c) the KASTI, village environment committees, whose role is to involve individual villages in the protection of their environment. Modest support for the "Agents Forestiers" and the APNs has been made available through the Debt-for-Nature Programme but few resources have been earmarked for KASTIs. The FSU is intended to provide practical training for foresters and village organizations (KASTIs, women's groups, etc.) and to provide resources to enable each group to define and implement conservation projects corresponding to local needs and priorities. The FSU will be linked with the Debt-for-Nature Programme at all levels, administratively and in the field. The FSU will also provide an important resource for integrated conservation and development projects currently under way in rainforest areas.

Project Objectives:

1. To ensure that the Ministry of Water and Forests has the technical, financial, and human resources to effectively manage and maintain the natural environments for which it is responsible.

2. To ensure that the Ministry of Water and Forests has technical, financial, and human resources to develop local communities' desire and ability to manage their natural resources sustainably.

3. To provide, through the Forestry Support Units, in­service training and support to concerned village groups (including women and young adults) and Malagasy foresters.

MG0062.1: Debt­for­Nature Programme (Aug. 89 - Jun. 97)

Activity Background:

See Project Background.

Activity Objectives:

Main objectives:

1. To focus the programme's activities towards developing the Ministry of Water and Forests' internal capacity.

Specific objectives:

2. To provide institutional support (salaries, training, and equipment) to conservation protection agents (APNs).

3. To provide intensive training for APNs through regional workshops, followed by regular instruction by the central team, local forestry agents, and programme coordinators.

4. To start, through APNs, small­scale community self­help activities, such as school construction and agricultural improvements.

5. To carry out regular monitoring and evaluation.

FSU Programme objectives:

6. To train and support APNs and "Agents Forestiers".

7. To establish training programmes and support for village forestry committees.

8. To promote participation of village women and young adults in local environmental activities.

Activity Biomes:

Tropical Moist Forest.

Activity Methods:

Agriculture Management; Community Conservation; Forest Management; Institutional Support and Development; Protected Area Management; Training.

MG0063 Madagascar: Coordination of ICDPs at Andringitra and Marojejy Reserves

Project Summary:

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The purpose of this project, funded entirely by the German development bank KfW and the Malagasy government, is to provide the necessary support at the WWF Madagascar Programme Office level for two major integrated conservation and development projects: MG0079 "Andringitra and Pic d'Ivohibe Reserves", and MG0080 "Marojejy and Anjanaharibe Sud Reserves".
Priority Biomes % Strategies %
Forests 100Consumption & Pollution 0
Freshwater Ecosystems 0 EE & Capacity Building 0
Oceans and Coasts 0 Protected Areas 50
Non-Priority Biomes 0 Species 0
Non-Biome Specific 0
Sustainable Resource Use 50 Treaties & Legislation 0
Non-Priority Strategies 0

Project Background:

This project, funded entirely by the German development bank KfW and the Malagasy government, provides the necessary support at WWF Programme Office level for two major integrated conservation and development projects (ICDPs): MG0079 "Andringitra and Pic d'Ivohibe Reserves", and MG0080 "Marojejy and Anjanaharibe Sud Reserves".

Project Objectives:

1. To coordinate and provide technical support to the Marojejy and Andringitra ICDPs; and provide technical advice to two others: MG0048 "Nature Conservation in Zombitse and Vohibasia" and MG0060 "Andohahela Reserve - Integrated Conservation and Development".

2. To assist in the development of workplans, budgets, long­term project proposals and research priorities for the Marojejy and Andringitra ICDPs.

3. To ensure a coordination role in the Andringitra and Marojejy ICDPs and the development/execution/follow­up and evaluation of activities, in all sectors of these two field projects.

4. To participate in meetings held specifically for these field projects or, on a national scale, which concern issues related to these field projects, forest management, and the sustainable use of natural resources.

5. To assure information exchange between projects at WWF, between partner organizations, home offices, funder and field projects, and between government institutions and the projects.

6. To continue to assist the field projects in the identification, recruitment, and development of terms of reference and workplans for project staff, consultants, etc.

7. To help develop research priorities for field projects and identify executants for these studies.

8. To help develop a database in Antananarivo which can serve the field projects and contribute to the monitoring and evaluation of the WWF Madagascar Programme.

MG0063.1: Project Coordination (Jan. 93 - Jun. 98)

Activity Background:

This activity provides a coordination function for the project, including the follow-up on project developments, the assessment of results, and promoting linkages and relations between the ICDPs, other institutions and funding bodies. Technical coordination also promotes the development of activities concerned with local management of natural resources.

Activity Objectives:

1. To set up the project Advisory Committees.

2. To establish the project office, recruit personnel, and purchase project equipment.

3. To organize the Objectives Oriented Project Planning (ZOPP) workshops.

4. To build necessary infrastructures.

5. To select consultants to carry out socio­economic, biological, and technical studies.

6. To provide technical support and supervision to the field projects, particularly with respect to project workplans and technical and financial reports.

7. To inform field project leaders about international and national issues on sustainable management of natural resources.

Major targets for FY1998 and beyond:

When the Andringitra and Marojejy ICDPs begin Phase II:

1. To contribute to the strategic discussions to motivate local people to be responsible for the management of the environment in the conservation area.

2. To seek ways in which the sustainable use of renewable natural resources are self-financing (e.g. through a foundation for the environment, savings/credits for development proposals).

3. To contribute to the establishment of an adequate system of evaluating environmental actions.

Activity Biomes:

Tropical Moist Forest.

Activity Methods:

Community Conservation; Forest Management; Protected Area Management.

MG0073 Madagascar: Forestry Support Units - Bringing Training and Resources to the Field

Project Summary:

Under this project a Forestry Support Unit team of two specifically trained foresters are assigned to each of four tropical rainforest areas of Madagascar, where they lend technical and material support for local conservation initiatives. Assistance is provided to professional foresters ("Agents Forestiers" and "Agents pour le Protection de la Nature") and to community-based conservation groups.
Priority Biomes % Strategies %
Forests 0Consumption & Pollution 0
Freshwater Ecosystems 0 EE & Capacity Building 0
Oceans and Coasts 0 Protected Areas 0
Non-Priority Biomes 0 Species 0
Non-Biome Specific 100 Sustainable Resource Use 0
Treaties & Legislation 0
Non-Priority Strategies 100

Project Background:

The principle goal of the project is to protect Malagasy tropical rainforests by supporting the conservation activities of foresters and by empowering community organizations to implement conservation initiatives of their own design. The project will be integrated into the current WWF Debt for Nature Programme. It will supplement the current activities of "Agents Forestiers" and "Agents pour le Protection de la Nature" (APNs), as well as provide support for KASTI (village-based forest committees).

Project Objectives:

1. To provide community organization and outreach skills to a selected group of foresters.

2. To train and support APNs and "Agents Forestiers".

3. To establish, train, and support village forestry committees.

4. To promote the participation of village women and young adults in local environmental activities.

5. To reduce Madagascar's external commercial debt.

MG0073.1: Forestry Support Units (Jul. 93 - Dec. 02)

Activity Background:

See Project Background.

Activity Objectives:

See Project Objectives.

Activity Biomes:

Tropical Moist Forest.

Activity Methods:

Institutional Support and Development.

MG0079 Madagascar: Andringitra and Pic d'Ivohibe Reserves - Integrated Conservation and Development

Project Summary:

View Map

This project aims at maintaining the biodiversity of the Andringitra and Pic d'Ivohibe reserves through the sustainable, community­based management of natural resources.
Priority Biomes % Strategies %
Forests 100Consumption & Pollution 0
Freshwater Ecosystems 0 EE & Capacity Building 0
Oceans and Coasts 0 Protected Areas 50
Non-Priority Biomes 0 Species 0
Non-Biome Specific 0 Sustainable Resource Use 50
Treaties & Legislation 0
Non-Priority Strategies 0

Project Background:

Andringitra Strict Nature Reserve, in south-central Madagascar, encompasses a scenic, uplifted granite block between the eastern side of the island's central plateau and the western edge of the coastal mountains. Much of the reserve consists of an undulating plateau some 2,100m high and is dissected by deep gorges. Numerous rocky domes rise to higher altitudes, the tallest of which are Pic Boby (2,658m) and Pic Bory (2,630m), constituting the second and third highest points in the country. The steep slopes on the reserve's eastern side support three distinct floristic zones: the eastern Domain or lowland moist forest; the central Domain mid­altitude moist forests; and the high mountain Domain consisting of dwarf montane flora and heathlands. Like all high mountain areas in Madagascar, Andringitra has its own particular species assemblage, rich in endemics. The neighbouring Pic d'Ivohibe Special Reserve rises steeply to 2,060m and supports a wide diversity of central and high mountain species. Like Andringitra, it is a massif, rich in Betsileo and Bara history and folklore, constituting a sacred area.

Both reserves play a significant role in the lives of local people. Clean water running from them sustains irrigated rice cultivation and market gardening. Virtually every suitable area of the valley floor, and many of the more gentle slopes, are currently irrigated, particularly in the Betsileo and Bara regions to the north, west, and south of the reserve. The eastern slopes cultivated by the Tanala suffer from tavy or itinerant slash-and-burn practices. The often­repeated classic problem of destruction of life­supporting environments is occurring at the hands of the people who depend on them most, brought about by poverty, high population growth, and lack of available alternatives. This project, funded by the German development bank KfW and the Malagasy government, aims at maintaining the biodiversity of the Andringitra and Pic d'Ivohibe reserves through the sustainable, community­based management of natural resources.

Project Objectives:

1. To collect and analyse essential ecological and socio­economic data and to implement an effective system to monitor ecological and socio­economic trends.

2. To provide opportunities for increased revenue by improving agricultural and livestock production, making maximum use of existing local resources, and by ensuring that production is both sustainable and compatible with local natural resources.

3. To ensure local communities are fully aware of the value of natural resources and the consequences of their loss.

4. To ensure Andringitra Reserve is at least partially re­classified to National Park status and to develop proposals to protect other forested areas under little threat, but which provide a corridor between Andringitra and Pic d'Ivohibe.

5. To develop an ecotourism programme, thus generating income and increasing the value of the reserve to local people.

6. To halt forest destruction by itinerant tavy practices by securing access to land and water resources, and by the introduction of sustainable agricultural methods.

MG0079.1: Local Coordination (Jan. 93 - Jun. 98)

Activity Background:

This activity covers coordination of administration and management for the entire project, including the supervision and follow-up of both office and field activities. A new accounting system (ACCPAC) has been installed to provide better accounting management, complete with an internal audit software application.

Activity Objectives:

1. To improve the coordination and management of human, material, and financial resources.

Activity Biomes:

Tropical Moist Forest.

Activity Methods:

Ecotourism Development.

MG0079.2: Rural Development (Jan. 93 - Jun. 98)

Activity Background:

This activity concerns field interventions, e.g. providing alternative solutions to agricultural productivity problems, improving farming and livestock methods, and managing products. This requires training and technical assistance, as well as follow-up of beneficiaries.

Activity Objectives:

1. To promote sustainable alternatives to destructive subsistence practices, and to help increase revenue.

2. To enhance the capacity and technical competence of local communities and to seek lasting management of renewable natural resources by local communities, as well as their self-promotion and self-development.

Activity Biomes:

Tropical Moist Forest.

Activity Methods:

Ecotourism Development.

MG0079.3: Conservation and Protection (Jan. 93 - Jun. 98)

Activity Background:

This activity aims at establishing a mixed forest corridor between the two protected areas, as a means of preserving the Special Reserve function of Pic d'Ivohibe. To enhance the value of this future National Park, a number of studies are also being undertaken with a view to the preparation of a management and development plan.

Activity Objectives:

1. To enhance the ecological, biological, aesthetic, and economic value of the protected areas by changing their status from Natural Reserve to National Park, and by the preparation and implementation of a development and management plan.

2. To ensure that local communities are aware of the value of protected areas and that they participate in their protection and development.

Activity Biomes:

Tropical Moist Forest.

Activity Methods:

Ecotourism Development.

MG0079.4: Environmental Education (Jan. 93 - Jun. 99)

Activity Background:

To facilitate integration of the project into the target communities living in the villages surrounding Andringitra and Pic d'Ivohibe Reserves, this activity plays a catalytic role, through environmental education (EE) programmes, by informing local people about the project and its objectives. Ongoing EE, awareness campaigns, and technical training on and around the reserves have been organized to develop the capacity of local communities, with the aim of ensuring self-promotion and conservation.

Activity Objectives:

1. To improve the targeted villages' perception of the environment and interactions between conservation and development.

2. To enhance the capacity of the local communities to rationally manage their renewable natural resources, aiming at self-development and self-promotion.

Activity Methods:

Ecotourism Development; Education.

MG0079.5: Studies / Surveys (Jan. 93 - Jun. 99)

Activity Background:

In order to obtain a better knowledge of the area's biodiversity and ecological and socio-economic status, data are being collected from the protected areas and their surroundings. To monitor ecosystem trends, the project continues the study of biological indicators. A database management system, including geographic information, is used to evaluate and manage the results.

Activity Objectives:

1. To obtain a better understanding of the two reserves and of the corridor in order to enhance the value and the management of the protected areas and their surroundings.

Activity Biomes:

Tropical Moist Forest.

Activity Methods:

Ecotourism Development.

MG0079.6: Unallocated / Discretionary (Jan. 93 - Jun. 99)

Activity Background:

During its intervention, the project reserves the right to undertake activities not mentioned in its initial programme, but which are considered appropriate to achieving its objectives. Such activities are covered by this activity.

Activity Objectives:

1. To improve management of the project and to develop national and international partnerships.

Activity Biomes:

Tropical Moist Forest.

Activity Methods:

Ecotourism Development.

MG0080 Madagascar: Marojejy and Anjanaharibe­Sud Reserves - ICD

Project Summary:

The high rainfall generated on the Madagascan mountain reserves of Marojejy and Anjanaharibe-Sud ensures that the region's inhabitants receive a year­round water supply for irrigation and domestic consumption. Water for irrigation is taken from the Lokoho River which rises in Anjanaharibe­Sud. The quality of this water supply is now under threat from deforestation for unsustainable rain­fed rice production on the lower slopes of the reserve. The long­term goals of this project are to reduce the need to clear additional forest for cultivation and to maintain the biodiversity of Marojejy and Anjanaharibe­Sud reserves.
Priority Biomes % Strategies %
Forests 100Consumption & Pollution 0
Freshwater Ecosystems 0 EE & Capacity Building 0
Oceans and Coasts 0 Protected Areas 50
Non-Priority Biomes 0 Species 0
Non-Biome Specific 0 Sustainable Resource Use 50
Treaties & Legislation 0
Non-Priority Strategies 0

Project Background:

The Special Reserve of Anjanaharibe­Sud in Madagascar lies 20km south-west of Marojejy and covers 32,100ha. Elevations range from 500m to 2,060m and the gentler slopes of Anjanaharibe­Sud support a more homogenous forest cover. The reserve is an outstanding example of lowland and mid­altitudinal forest that is still largely intact. This reserve, together with Marojejy Reserve, plays a significant, if largely unrecognized, role in the lives of the region's people. The high rainfall generated on the two mountains ensures a year­round water supply for irrigation and domestic consumption.

The role of Anjanaharibe­Sud is particularly important in this respect as it is the sole source of water for one of Madagascar's industrial­scale irrigated rice schemes. The rice is produced in the Cuvette d'Andapa, a 16km wide basin between the two reserves. Approximately 11,000ha are suitable for irrigated rice, which can be produced at rates well above the national average. To date, some 2,500ha have been brought under intensive irrigation, with a further 3,000ha planned during the coming years by a local parastatal organization, "Société d'Aménagement d'Andapa" (SOAMA). Water for irrigation is taken from the Lokoho River which rises in Anjanaharibe­Sud. The quality of this water supply is now under threat from deforestation for unsustainable rain­fed rice production on the lower slopes of the reserve.

In the complex case of trying to resolve the unsustainable shifting agriculture, there are no immediate solutions. This MPAEF/WWF project sets out to address the issues progressively, in a way that will allow gradual improvement of local conditions and living standards. The project will be coordinated with another rural development project operating in the Andapa area (by SOAMA), funded by the European Development Fund. The project will address many diverse problems and will require a coordination centre for its activities. One of the keys to its success is ensuring that the implementation team have sufficient materials and equipment to analyse and then tackle the problem. In addition, in order to ensure long­term viability of the project's activities, the local governmental agencies require institutional strengthening. Such is the importance of the two reserves and the effects of poor land management in the area that the Malagasy government has rated this project as a level 1 priority within the National Environmental Action Plan. The integrated conservation and rural development approach is necessary in order to reduce loss of fertile lands and make better use of areas that have already been cleared.

Project Objectives:

Main objectives:

1. To ensure that the biodiversity of Marojejy and Anjanaharibe­Sud reserves is maintained.

2. To help find sustainable alternatives to current destructive land­use practices.

Specific objectives:

1. To collect and analyse appropriate baseline data on the ecology and socio­economics of the reserves, their surroundings, and the local communities, and to implement an effective monitoring programme.

2. To stabilize land tenure in areas surrounding the reserves, providing secure access to cultivable land, sufficient to meet basic living needs.

3. To increase local agricultural production and income through the introduction of new crops, varieties, and technologies, appropriate to local conditions.

4. To ensure that local communities are aware of the value of natural resources and the consequences of their loss.

5. To prepare and implement management plans for the reserves, which ensure biodiversity maintenance while promoting their value in terms of education, research, and revenue­generating recreational activities.

MG0080.1: Local Coordination (Jan. 93 - Jun. 99)

Activity Background:

The project is nearing the end of its first phase and its mission is to produce a management plan, as well as making a proposal for Phase II. Particular attention must be given to finding partners, with a view to closing activities with a progressive reduction of activities in the budget.

Activity Objectives:

See Project Objectives.

Activity Biomes:

Tropical Moist Forest.

MG0080.2: Rural Development (Jan. 93 - Jun. 97)

Activity Background:

Support to the rice programme is the principle activity being carried out in this component and is given in as complete a way as possible, encompassing micro­irrigation management, improved seeds, locally produced materials, training of planters, and improvement of commercialization. Improvement of this programme should help to increase the employment situation in the non­forest zone and keep rice at a sufficient quantity with reasonable prices in the peripheral zones. This should limit the needs to attack the mountains for slash-and-burn cultivation.

Activity Objectives:

See Project Objectives.

Activity Biomes:

Tropical Moist Forest.

MG0080.3: Conservation and Protection (Jan. 93 - Jun. 97)

Activity Background:

The initial situation met by the project was completely different from that anticipated. The lateness in starting, as well as a political crisis in the country, led to a general "laissez­aller", which in turn led to intense deforestation in the reserves. Intensive controlling was the only way to re­establish the situation.

Activity Objectives:

See Project Objectives.

Activity Biomes:

Tropical Moist Forest.

Activity Methods:

Ecotourism Development.

MG0080.4: Environmental Education (Jan. 93 - Jun. 97)

Activity Background:

Education plays a major role in the creation of knowledge, awareness and movement towards sustainable utilization of natural resources. Educational activities under this project help to generate support for the ideas developed by the project, which has a good working relationship with the Ministry of Education.

Activity Objectives:

See Project Objectives.

Activity Methods:

Education.

MG0080.5: Studies / Surveys (Jan. 93 - Jun. 97)

Activity Background:

This activity addresses the need to collect information necessary for the positive development of the project and follow­up activities, including the establishment of a management plan.

Activity Objectives:

See Project Objectives.

Activity Biomes:

Tropical Moist Forest.

MG0080.6: Unallocated / Discretionary (Jan. 93 - Jun. 97)

Activity Background:

See Project Background.

Activity Objectives:

See Project Objective.

Activity Biomes:

Tropical Moist Forest.

MG0081 Madagascar: Formulating Coastal Zone Conservation and Management Strategies for Madagascar

Project Summary:

A study carried out in 1994 to develop WWF priorities for marine conservation in the Africa and Madagascar region determined that Madagascar is the top priority in terms of marine conservation potential, based on biological and feasibility indices. The purpose of this project is to develop a strategic framework for marine conservation activities in Madagascar.
Priority Biomes % Strategies %
Forests 0Consumption & Pollution 0
Freshwater Ecosystems 0 EE & Capacity Building 30
Oceans and Coasts 100 Protected Areas 0
Non-Priority Biomes 0 Species 30
Non-Biome Specific 0 Sustainable Resource Use 0
Treaties & Legislation 0
Non-Priority Strategies 40

Project Background:

With a coastline of over 4,800km, high diversity of reef and corals, five endemic species of marine fish, over 1000 species of marine molluscs and extensive mangroves, Madagascar is WWF's top priority for marine conservation in the African region. Apart from its sea turtles and dugong, Madagascar's waters may be home to the largest breeding group of humpback whales in the western Indian Ocean. Following WWF's study of marine priorities in the region, the Africa & Madagascar Subcommittee endorsed a fact­finding survey to determine country­specific marine priorities. In 1992, a WWF pre­project (MG0070) in the Toliara area, which involved 15 local experts, generated a great deal of information on the coastal ecosystems and potential impacts of increased tourism. UNESCO is now implementing a project in the Grand Récif area in the Toliara region, which will hopefully become a marine protected area and biosphere reserve.

The timing for developing a WWF marine initiative in Madagascar is propitious, as the country's "Association Nationale pour la Gestion des Aires Protégées" is keen on extending Madagascar's protected areas to include marine parks and reserves. The need for coastal zone protection is immediate. Throughout the western Indian Ocean region the near­shore area is highly productive and, as a result, is subject to extensive exploitation and continuing development. Previous assessments of the south-west and north-east coasts of Madagascar indicate that the coastal systems of these areas are heavily exploited and degraded. In these areas endangered species such as turtles and dugong occur only in low numbers. However, circumstantial evidence suggests that the west, north-west and north coastal systems of Madagascar may be less heavily exploited. Consequently an assessment of these areas seems most logical.

Project Objectives:

1. To serve as an information­gathering and training period with the objective of determining the condition of various areas along the west and north coasts of Madagascar as potential sites for marine reserves or sanctuaries.

MG0081.1: Marine Surveys to Develop Coastal Conservation Strategies (Jul. 95 - Jun. 97)

Activity Background:

View Map

This project aims to examine and assess various coastal areas as potential marine reserves or sanctuaries, in an effort to conserve and manage coastal biodiversity, using marine mammals (in particular dugongs) and turtles as 'flagship' species. The need for dugong protection is immediate. Recent surveys off areas of Mozambique, Madagascar, and the entire Kenyan coast indicate that dugong numbers are alarmingly low. Throughout the western Indian Ocean region the near­shore region is highly productive and, as a result, is subject to extensive exploitation and continuing development. Dugongs, along with many other living resources, are entirely dependent on the near­shore sea­grass and reef resources, which are extremely sensitive to overexploitation and, in many areas, are showing signs of degradation. To arrest the process of coastal habitat destruction it is necessary to involve and raise the awareness of those human communities that are dependent on the resource. The latter is not difficult since fishermen are invariably the first to notice any change in the environment. Community involvement, taking social and historic traditions into account, in ensuring sustainable exploitation and resource management is much more difficult and requires innovative ideas based on scientific and sociological research.

Activity Objectives:

1. To encourage marine conservation and management, through government and NGO participation, in consultation with conservation agencies in Madagascar.

2. To determine areas of high dugong abundance and to investigate and propose suitable methods (socio­economic, protected areas, etc.) for their management and conservation.

3. To establish community-based and scientifically sound conservation methods for the protection of coastal ecosystems, which should then be implemented by the communities with the guidance of selected NGOs.

Activity Biomes:

Coral Reefs; Littoral Zones; Mangrove; Sea­grass Beds.

Activity Methods:

Ecotourism Development; Education; Information Systems; Institutional Support and Development; Programme / Project Development; Research and Monitoring; Species Management; Training.

Activity Species:

Dugong (Dugong dugon); Green turtle (Chelonia mydas); Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata); Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae); Loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta); Olive ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea); Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus).

MG0081.2: Programme Development (Jul. 93 - Jun. 97)

Activity Background:

See Project Background.

Activity Objectives:

1. To propose criteria and priorities to the Malagasy authorities for the establishment of a comprehensive system of marine and coastal reserves, including mangroves, salt flats, islands, reefs, sand beaches, rocky beaches, estuaries, mudflats, dunes, and open water.

2. To complement the existing reserve network with projects targeting specific species, e.g. dugongs - assemblages; marine mammals, turtles - habitats; fish nurseries, avian nesting sites; and economic functions (sustainable fisheries, shell trade).

3. To determine the best ways of preventing pollution from both marine and terrestrial sources.

Activity Methods:

Programme / Project Development.

MG0083 Madagascar: Toliara Sustainable Energy Project

Project Summary:

View Map

This project will investigate the problem of energy supply and consumption (mostly charcoal and wood for cooking) for the town of Toliara, in south-west Madagascar, and explore various solutions. An important part of the project will be to raise awareness among producers, consumers, local authorities, and government technical services of the issues and the potential solutions. The long­term aim of the project is to ensure that Toliara's energy needs are supplied and are sustainable so that energy provision does not threaten Madagascar's natural ecosystems.
Priority Biomes % Strategies %
Forests 90Consumption & Pollution 65
Freshwater Ecosystems 0 EE & Capacity Building 35
Oceans and Coasts 10 Protected Areas 0
Non-Priority Biomes 0 Species 0
Non-Biome Specific 0 Sustainable Resource Use 0
Treaties & Legislation 0
Non-Priority Strategies 0

Project Background:

Toliara is the provincial capital, port, and trading centre for south­west Madagascar. Its population has doubled, from 60,000 in 1980 to 120,000 in 1995. It is situated close to the transition between spiny bush typical of the arid south­west and the dense dry deciduous forest of western Madagascar. The majority of Toliara's energy for domestic cooking is provided by wood and charcoal. In addition to domestic use, nearly all small restaurants and coffee stalls use wood and charcoal. All of the charcoal and fuel-wood used in Toliara is supplied from native forests; there is no use of plantation wood for charcoal production. Charcoal production started in spiny forests within 10km of Toliara around 40 years ago. Today it is mostly supplied from spiny forests 30-40km north of Toliara, from riverine forests near the Onilahy river up to 50km south-east of Toliara, from dense deciduous forests along Route Nationale 7 from as far as 150km north-east of Toliara, and from mangroves both north and south of Toliara.

Forests nearer Toliara are severely degraded by the extraction of all exploitable hardwoods. Hardwood species of dry forests in this arid area (300-750mm rainfall per annum) grow very slowly. In studies in similar dense deciduous forest at Morondava, north of Toliara, it was discovered that hardwood species take around 500 years to grow to 0.5m diameter. It is unlikely that charcoal production could be sustainable from these forests. The forests that have been exploited will take many centuries to recover, if ever. Charcoal is often produced by migrants from areas further south. They form transient settlements, moving on in search of new wood supplies as required. Their charcoal production is often associated with slash­and­burn shifting cultivation. This is even more destructive as repeated burning destroys the seed bank and leaves the soil infertile, leaving almost no possibility of regeneration. The dense deciduous forest of Andranovory, 60km north-east of Toliara, has entirely disappeared in the last 50 years as a result of slash­and­burn cultivation and charcoal production. This project will work closely with local partners, and with them will develop a proposal for longer-term and larger-scale action to achieve the long-term aim of ensuring that Toliara's energy needs are supplied sustainably.

Project Objectives:

1. To encourage production of firewood and charcoal from plantation wood.

2. To promote more efficient charcoal production.

3. To promote cooking techniques which reduce the energy required, and use firewood and charcoal from plantation wood.

4. To promote working techniques which use alternative sources of energy such as solar energy and biogas.

MG0083.1: Toliara Sustainable Energy Project (Jul. 96 - Jun. 98)

Activity Background:

See Project Background.

Activity Objectives:

See Project Objectives.

Activity Biomes:

Mangrove; Tropical Dry Forest.

Activity Methods:

Community Conservation; Institutional Support and Development; Programme / Project Development; Research and Monitoring; Training.

MG0851 Madagascar: Amber Mountain, Phase II

Project Summary:

The purpose of this project is to maintain the quality of the natural environment in and around the Amber Mountain Complex of Protected Areas through the integration of conservation, development, and education. The project will concentrate on park/reserve protection which will be reinforced through locally based initiatives, including resource management, community-managed ecotourism, and environmental education. Research and training (institution building) are fundamental cross­cutting elements of the project.
Priority Biomes % Strategies %
Forests 0Consumption & Pollution 0
Freshwater Ecosystems 0 EE & Capacity Building 20
Oceans and Coasts 0 Protected Areas 60
Non-Priority Biomes 0 Species 0
Non-Biome Specific 100 Sustainable Resource Use 20
Treaties & Legislation 0
Non-Priority Strategies 0

Project Background:

View Map

The Amber Mountain Complex of Protected Areas (Amber Mountain National Park and the Special Reserves of Amber Forest, Ankarana and Analamera) were selected as priority sites for conservation action during preparation of the Madagascar National Environmental Action Plan in 1989. The following criteria were used in the selection: level of biodiversity and endemism; level of influence on the economy in the region; accessibility and feasibility for accomplishing planned tasks; and acceptance of and participation in the project initiatives on the part of local people.

In June 1989 WWF-US entered a contract with USAID/Madagascar for an integrated conservation and development project targeting rainforests and deciduous forest ecosystems in the Amber Mountain Complex of Protected Areas. The goal of the project was to ensure the continued survival of the Amber Mountain area's forest ecosystem through an integrated conservation, development, and public awareness programme. WWF proposed to finance technical assistance, commodities, training, and construction to establish the programme. Following an evaluation in January 1992, CARE and Vétérinaires Sans Frontières (VSF) were invited to collaborate with WWF in reformulating the project, particularly in the development activities where the evaluation found the project to be weakest. Reformulation of the project started in October 1992, and in June 1993 a proposal was submitted to USAID for the second phase of the project. This focuses on closely linking conservation, development, and education activities, and facilitating the transfer of capability from the project to governmental and non­governmental institutions. WWF will be responsible for the conservation/protection and environmental education/awareness raising components and overall project administration; CARE International will implement rural development activities in the areas of agriculture and agroforestry; and VSF will implement development activities in the area of animal husbandry. Other partners include the Provincial Service of Water and Forests (SPEF), GTZ (German Technical Development Agency), IDEA (a local NGO) and others, all coordinated by the National Association for Protected Areas Management (ANGAP).

September 1996: CARE involvement with the project has been terminated and WWF will assume management of the development component of the project (see Activity 3).

Project Objectives:

Main objective:

1. To implement Phase II of the Amber Mountain Project through three contracted operators: WWF (the lead organization), CARE, and VSF, in collaboration with governmental and non­governmental institutions and local communities.

Specific objectives:

2. To ensure the effective protection and management of the four protected areas of the Amber Mountain Complex.

3. To diminish the pressure on the protected areas through the development and implementation of sustainable rural development and ecotourism activities that will provide income alternatives for the local communities.

4. To develop and enhance the link between the conservation and development activities through awareness and education activities in order to promote attitudinal change and greater respect for the protection of protected areas.

5. To facilitate the transfer of capability from the project to governmental and non­governmental institutions.

MG0851.1: Amber Mountain, Phase II (Jul. 94 - Jun. 97)

Activity Background:

The expected outputs from this activity are: (a) improved protection and management of the Amber Mountain Complex; (b) development and implementation of alternative income-generating activities, including rural development and ecotourism activities; (c) decreased pressure on natural resources; and (d) understanding on the part of the communities of the link between conservation and development.

Activity Objectives:

See Project Objectives 2, 3 and 4.

Activity Biomes:

Tropical Moist Forest.

MG0851.2: Conservation and Protection (Jul. 94 - Jun. 97)

Activity Background:

The expected outputs from this activity are: (a) clearly marked and identified limits of Amber Mountain National Park, the northern block of the Amber Forest Reserve, and the Ankarana Reserve; (b) raised community and national institution awareness of the rationale for the protected areas and the boundaries surrounding them; (c) restoration schemes for natural habitats which have been degraded and abandoned in the national park; (d) use of biological data from park/reserves to form a base for planning and evaluation; (e) reduced illegal commercial activities in the protected areas; (f) identification of ways for the local communities to actively participate in and benefit from park/reserve management, for example through the development and management of ecotourism and revenue sharing; (g) reduced conflict between local residents in the National Park or reserves; (h) implementation of a management and training plan to transfer responsibility for park maintenance; (i) implementation of interior regulations for the park reserve system to establish the legal and managerial framework; (j) necessary infrastructure to ensure protection of the complex; (k) trained conservation and protection staff and positive working relationship with DEF officials to ensure protection of the complex; (l) a plan for the elimination of feral cattle from the protected areas; (m) an ecological monitoring system for the complex ecosystems; and (n) policy recommendations to the Malagasy government concerning existing protected area boundaries.

Activity Objectives:

See Project Objective 1.

Activity Biomes:

Tropical Moist Forest.

MG0851.3: Development for Conservation (Jul. 94 - Jun. 97)

Activity Background:

This component of the project, now under WWF management, will implement rural development activities in three different pilot zones, targeting rural populations around the following protected areas: Joffreville/Sakaramy on the north­eastern side of the Amber Mountain National Park and the Amber Forest Special Reserve; Bobakilandy on the west side of the Amber Mountain National Park; and Andasibe on the south­eastern side of the Amber Mountain National Park.

For the project's development component to be successful, it is essential that all project development activities are linked to conservation, specifically that: (a) all natural resource utilization schemes take into account the rarity of species and their value in terms of contributing to ecological processes, the rules, regulations and laws which are applicable in Madagascar, cost­benefit relationships, market/finance access to rural populations, and the capacity for self­management; (b) communication and networking become integral to all approaches and all steps necessary to promote positive attitudinal changes; (c) proposed activities, solutions or alternatives should be based on actual knowledge and actions of rural communities and not developed from a "should do/should have" standpoint. Phase I PRA studies have set the stage to ensure compatibility with local needs; (d) reinforcement of local structures and positive community perceptions is primordial; (e) all interventions from outside the population promote the reinforcement and respect of village/community land management plans.

The following specific set of activities in agriculture and agroforestry is neither exhaustive nor to be applied in every community in the selected pilot zones. Following consensus with communities, some of these interventions will be tested for cost­effectiveness, level of participation by local people (in terms of affordability and manageability), replicability, and sustainability. As a follow up to Phase I PRA studies, Phase II will: (a) conduct feasibility studies for implementation of improved agricultural production of the Ambararatra, Sakaramy, and Normandy II plains; (b) test and implement systems for the improvement of storage and marketing systems associated with development activities stimulated by the project and help improve rural marketing networks; (c) carry out studies and establish systems to control agricultural pests, such as "Hispa gestroi"; (d) introduce and experiment with improved varieties of rice which have a shorter growing cycle; (e) introduce and experiment with improved varieties of sweet potatoes, maize, and manioc; (f) establish a system with the local communities for the use of ANGAP­funds coming from protected area entry fees; (g) in collaboration with rural farmers, design methods for the improvement of agricultural equipment and materials used locally; (h) establish a participatory auto­functioning micro-rural credit system; (i) examine the relationship and functioning of Malagasy laws regarding natural resource utilization and traditional uses of the resources; (j) identify and apply solutions for land tenure problems affecting land-use plans; (k) help improve organization of rural farmers through the creation of village associations or similar bodies; (l) experiment with and test more diverse agricultural crops; (m) install improved marketing systems for fruit tree and garden production; (n) introduce and/or improve systems using compost or "green" fertilizer; (o) introduce and/or improve the use of live fencing around fields and other areas of activity; (p) introduce and/or improve agroforestry practices; (q) help rural farmers improve crop development in new fields; (r) help fight erosion above and around agricultural plots, using applied technologies; (s) collaborate with the Special Energy project of GTZ on the introduction of improved charcoal production technology, and set up a sustainable wood management system with the selected charcoal burners who have learned this technology; (t) develop income-generating activities for the rural populations based on the primary or secondary links with ecotourism in and around the protected areas; (u) help to diminish the pressure on protected areas through implementation of the above mentioned income generating activities and the development of alternatives for human activities inside the protected areas.

VSF: VSF will implement animal husbandry activities in four different pilot zones, targeting rural populations around the following protected areas: Joffreville/Sakaramy on the north­eastern side of the Amber Mountain National Park and the Amber Forest Special Reserve; Bobakilandy on the west side of the Amber Mountain National Park; Andasibe on the south­eastern side of the Amber Mountain National Park; and Ambondromifehy/ Mahamasina/Maroataolana on the north­eastern side of the Ankarana Special Reserve.

The following specific set of activities in animal husbandry are neither exhaustive nor to be applied in every community in the selected pilot zones. Following consensus with communities, some of these interventions will be tested for cost­effectiveness, level of participation by local people (in terms of affordability and manageability), replicability, and sustainability. As a follow up to Phase I PRA studies, Phase II will: (a) identify and implement activities focusing on the improvement of livestock marketing systems associated with development activities initiated by the project and help improve rural marketing networks; (b) establish income-generating activities such as improved poultry breeding, improved pig-keeping, and bee­keeping with locally constructed beehives; (c) develop and introduce a system of improved pasture management with local farmers; (d) collaborate with the local veterinary service and help to improve cattle vaccination and distribution and use of medicines against cattle parasites; (e) help improve organization of rural farmers through the creation of village associations or similar bodies; (f) help to diminish the pressure on the protected areas through the development of the above-mentioned income-generating activities and the development of alternatives for human activities inside the protected areas.

Activity Objectives:

See Project Objective 3.

Activity Biomes:

Tropical Moist Forest.

MG0851.4: Education and Awareness Raising (Jul. 94 - Jun. 97)

Activity Background:

This activity, to be implemented by WWF, sets out to develop and enhance the link between the conservation and development activities through awareness raising and education activities to promote attitudinal change and greater respect for the protection of protected areas.

The expected outputs from this activity are: (a) the development and distribution of appropriate informational documentation on the environment, protected areas, and natural resources; (b) creation of a communications network for the environment; (c) preparation of courses, training sessions, Round Table discussions, radio, and television programmes for the target audiences; (d) introduction of environmental activities in schools and extra­curricular in the Amber Mountain region; (e) improvement in the level of scholarships through teacher training, provision of materials, physical improvements (school upgrading), and development of appropriate curricula related to local needs and concerns; and (f) the staffing and implementation of environmental education (EE) programmes in an EE centre at the Station de Rosette in Amber Mountain National Park.

Activity Objectives:

See Project Objective 4.

Activity Biomes:

Tropical Moist Forest.

MG0851.5: Cross­Cutting Activities (Jul. 94 - Jun. 97)

Activity Background:

This activity deals with the following components and activities which cut across the themes of conservation, development, and education:

Training/Capacity Building: the provision of training and capacity building opportunities to facilitate transfer of capability and responsibility to more permanent institutions/organizations in the Amber Mountain region.

Research: the design and execution of analytical research in both the biological, and social and economic subject areas which will facilitate continuous appraisal (monitoring and evaluation) of project activities, and their results and impacts.

The expected outputs from this activity are: (a) the training and reinforcement of NGO, government and parastatal staff in methods/approaches to deter or halt habitat degradation; (b) development of a management and training plan to transfer responsibility for park maintenance; (c) establishment of an advisory board at the regional/local level to ensure that project­assisted activities are both appropriate and sustainable; (d) the encouragement and support of local, national, and international researchers emphasizing applied topics which will aid in the management of the protected area; (e) the design and implementation of an ecological monitoring programme for the protected area, for baseline data collection.

Activity Objectives:

See Project Objective 5.

Activity Biomes:

Tropical Moist Forest.

MG0852 Madagascar: Andohahela Integral Reserve, Phase II

Project Summary:

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The activities of this project are intended to help conserve and protect the biodiversity of Andohahela and the surrounding forests by promoting the sustainable use of natural resources in south-eastern Madagascar. Conservation efforts will be linked with development activities to empower the local population to manage their land and take responsibility for their proper development. Emphasis will be placed on the training of project personnel, helping local institutions to carry out sustainable conservation and development activities, and the development of alternative approaches that can be disseminated throughout the region. Village structures will be strengthened so that they can become true partners in the management and the monitoring of conservation and development activities in and around the Andohahela reserve.
Priority Biomes % Strategies %
Forests 0Consumption & Pollution 0
Freshwater Ecosystems 0 EE & Capacity Building 0
Oceans and Coasts 0 Protected Areas 0
Non-Priority Biomes 0 Species 0
Non-Biome Specific 100 Sustainable Resource Use 0
Treaties & Legislation 0
Non-Priority Strategies 100

Project Background:

The 75,200ha Andohahela Integral Reserve is a storehouse of biological diversity and endemicity located in the south-eastern corner of Madagascar. The variety of ecosystems, from Sahelian­like deserts to high mountain rainforests, support the evolution and adaptation of many life-forms and lifestyles. In human terms, Andohahela is one of the poorest areas in the country, a fact that could endanger the survival of its unique ecosystem. WWF selected Andohahela as a potential high priority site for the development of an integrated conservation and development project in 1985. Nationwide protected area surveys carried out by WWF and the Malagasy Department of Water and Forests in 1986­1987 confirmed Andohahela's importance and played a role in the inclusion of the reserve in the Malagasy Environmental Action Plan as a Priority Level 1 locality. During the pilot phase of the WWF Andohahela project, international and national NGOs, government institutions, and rural communities looked for a cohesive approach to stabilize people's relationships with the environment.

To reach the objectives of this Phase II project, activities will be carried out to reinforce the conservation of the protected area, promote the sustainable use of natural resources, educate the population, and develop the protected area through the introduction of ecotourism. The project's development activities will aim at improving the economic situation of the population, as well as working to empower the population to take responsibility for its own development and the management of its resources, including those in protected areas.

The project is based upon redesign studies, completed in 1993, that examined social, agricultural, economic, and ecological issues. These studies analysed the existing situation and provided initial recommendations for project activities. Andohahela Phase II addresses the primary threats identified by the studies and includes indicators for monitoring and evaluating activities. Ultimately, the project emphasizes the reinforcement of local technical services and of national NGOs to ensure the sustainability of actions at Andohahela and in south-eastern Madagascar.

Project Objectives:

Main objective:

1. To sustain and protect the biodiversity of the Andohahela Reserve and adjacent classified forest and to promote the sustainable use of natural resources in south-eastern Madagascar.

Specific objectives:

2. To replace the destructive exploitation of natural resources in the forest zone with sustainable alternatives.

3. To address the social and economic needs of the people living around the reserve in an effort to obtain their confidence and cooperation in conservation programmes.

4. To create an appreciation among local residents of the relationship between conservation and development.

5. To assure a protected area with boundaries that are well known by all concerned parties and a status that permits activities that support development in the region.

6. To develop an efficient system of monitoring and biological and social research in the region, with national institutions.

7. To reinforce the capacity of local institutions (both governmental and non­governmental) and village associations to manage natural areas and to implement sustainable conservation and development activities.

MG0852.1: Andohahela Integral Reserve, Phase II (Jul. 94 - Jun. 97)

Activity Background:

The expected outputs from overall project activity are: (a) improved protection and management of the Andohahela Reserve; (b) the development and implementation of alternative income-generating activities, including rural development and ecotourism activities; (c) decreased pressure on natural resources; (d) strengthened capacity of local institutions to implement conservation and development projects; and (e) increased understanding on the part of the community of the link between conservation and development.

Activity Objectives:

See Project Objective 1.

Activity Biomes:

Tropical Moist Forest.

MG0852.2: Conservation and Protection (Jul. 94 - Jun. 97)

Activity Background:

The expected outputs from this activity are: (a) knowledge and respect of the boundaries at all levels; (b) respect of the protected area by the population; (c) reduced exploitation of the natural forest; (d) reduced wild fires by 50%; (e) increased quality and quantity of reforestation; (f) increased availability of tree species chosen by the population; (g) rational resource use; and (h) development of income-generating activities related to conservation.

Activity Objectives:

See Project Objectives 2, 5 and 6.

Activity Biomes:

Tropical Moist Forest.

MG0852.3: Rural Development (Jul. 94 - Jun. 97)

Activity Background:

The expected outputs under this activity are: (a) rational resource use; (b) development of income-generating activities related to conservation; (c) improved understanding of the relationship between conservation and development; (d) improved capacity of local institutions and village associations to manage natural resources and development projects.

Activity Objectives:

See Project Objectives 3, 4 and 7.

Activity Biomes:

Tropical Moist Forest.

MG0852.4: Environmental Education (Jul. 94 - Jun. 97)

Activity Background:

The aim of environmental education efforts under this activity is to give an appreciation of the environment and an understanding of the conservation of protected areas to students. The expected outputs are: (a) distribution of training materials and books, and training of teachers; (b) development of extracurricular activities, such as restoration efforts; (c) teaching materials appropriate for the south (to be undertaken by the school department); (d) development of teacher training programmes; (e) establishment of a committee for the upkeep of schools; (f) a programme aimed at developing school canteens; (g) elaboration of a literacy programme with the population and the government service responsible for rural sensibilization; and (h) the building of an environmental education centre in Ankazofotsy by ANGAP and equipped/managed by the project.

Activity Objectives:

See Project Objectives.

Activity Biomes:

Tropical Moist Forest.