Madagascar

The purpose of the Environmental Evaluators Network (EEN) is to advance the practice, policy and theory of evaluating environmental programs, policies and other interventions through more systematic and collective learning. The EEN is a rapidly growing and diversifying community of practice of thousands of participants committed to understanding and improving effectiveness and efficiency in the environmental sector. EEN participation is international and represents the environmental sector’s diversity of disciplines and organizations, working from the local to global scale in government agencies, non-profits, consulting organizations, foundations, and academic institutions.

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EEN was founded in 2006 by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and today its sponsors and partners include government agencies, professional associations, consulting firms, foundations and universities. The Network is comprised of environmental, conservation, sustainable development, and natural resource evaluators and evaluation consumers. Individuals and organizations from academia, consulting, foundations, government and non-profits are all welcome to participate.

About Madagascar

Madagascar is unique in its biodiversity which is not only rich but also with uncommon level of endemism: 28 endemic families, 478 genera among the plants and vertebrates. Five endemic plant families and 14,000 plant species, nearly 90% are endemic. Biodiversity and endemism in Primates are also very high, placing it among the world’s highest priorities for primate conservation: 101 species and subspecies that are all endemic. There are five endemic families with 209 species of birds nesting, 51% are endemic to Madagascar. In addition, there are 370 species of reptiles and 244 amphibian species with a rate of endemism amounting to 99%.

Madagascar’s varied fauna and flora are endangered by human activity. Since the arrival of humans around 2,350 years ago, Madagascar has lost more than 90% of its original forest. Key contributors to the loss of forest cover include the use of coffee as a cash crop, illegal logging, and slash-and-burn activities. Environmental groups continue to alert the public and authorities on trafficking of precious woods such as rosewood.

Madagascar’s biodiversity is threatened; we may be losing more than we are saving. There is insufficient evidence that the time, effort, money, policies, programs and strategies we have used thusfar have worked to prevent further loss of habitat, biodiversity, forests, reefs – our natural heritage. Evaluation in all its forms, through systematic and purposeful approaches to understanding and continuously improving effectiveness, offers an opportunity for Madagascar to change course.

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Madagascar Photo Credits: Nicky Aina

6 Comments

  1. Salohy
    10 June 13, 6:58pm

    Madagascar: Measuring the Impact of the Political Crisis

    http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2013/06/05/madagascar-measuring-the-impact-of-the-political-crisis

    WORLDBANK – June 5 2013.

    The protracted political crisis in Madagascar has taken a heavy toll on its economy and its people, especially the most vulnerable.
    More than 92 percent of the population lives under $2 a day and poverty has sharply increased.
    Only a sustainable end to the stalemate will enable the country to focus on fostering economic growth.

  2. Salohy
    23 January 13, 11:51pm

    Jan. 23, 2013 — Rising temperatures and shifting rainfall patterns in Madagascar could fuel the spread of lemur parasites and the diseases they carry.

    By combining data on six parasite species from ongoing surveys of lemur health with weather data and other environmental information for Madagascar as a whole, a team of Duke University researchers has created probability maps of likely parasite distributions throughout the island today.

    Then, using climate projections for the year 2080, they estimate what parasite distributions might look like in the future.

    “We can use these models to figure out where the risk of lemur-human disease transmission might be highest, and use that to better protect the future of lemur and human health,” said lead author Meredith Barrett, who conducted the study while working as a graduate student at Duke.

    Lemurs are native to the African island of Madagascar, where climate change isn’t the only threat to their survival. More than 90 percent of the lemurs’ forest habitat has already been cleared for logging, farming and grazing. Illegal hunting for bushmeat is also a problem.

    A key part of saving these animals is ensuring that they stay healthy as environmental conditions in their island home continue to shift, Barrett said.

    Average annual temperatures in Madagascar are predicted to rise by 1.1 to 2.6 degrees Celsius by 2080. Rainfall, drought and cyclone patterns are changing too.

    In a study published in the January 2013 issue of the journal Biological Conservation, Barrett and colleagues examined what these changes could mean for lemur health by taking a cue from the parasites they carry.

    The team focused on six species of mites, ticks and intestinal worms commonly known to infect lemurs. The parasites are identified in lemur fur and feces. Some species — such as pinworms, whipworms and tapeworms — cause diarrhea, dehydration and weight loss in human hosts. Others, particularly mites and ticks, can transmit diseases such as plague, typhus or scabies.

    When the researchers compared their present-day maps with parasite distributions predicted for the future, they found that lemur parasites could expand their range by as much as 60 percent. Whipworms, for example, which are now largely confined to Madagascar’s northeast and western coasts, may become widely distributed on the country’s southeastern coast as well.

    Anne Yoder, senior author on the study and Director of the Duke Lemur Center, said the research is particularly important now as lemurs have been identified by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as the most endangered mammals on earth.

    Warmer weather means that parasites could grow and reproduce more quickly, or spread to higher latitudes and elevations where once they were unable to survive. As lemur parasites become more prevalent, the diseases they carry could show up in new places. The spread could be harmful to lemur populations that have never encountered these pests before, and lack resistance to the diseases they carry.

    Shifting parasite distributions could have ripple effects on people too. As human population growth in Madagascar drives people and their livestock into previously uninhabited areas, wildlife-human disease transmission becomes increasingly likely.

    The authors hope their results will help researchers predict where disease hotspots are likely to occur, and prepare for them before they hit.

    Meredith Barrett is now a postdoctoral scholar with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health & Society Scholars Program at the University of California at San Francisco and Berkeley. Jason Brown of Duke University and Randall Junge of the Columbus Zoo & Aquarium were also authors of this study.

    A key part of saving these animals is ensuring that they stay healthy as environmental conditions in their island home continue to shift, Barrett said.

    Average annual temperatures in Madagascar are predicted to rise by 1.1 to 2.6 degrees Celsius by 2080. Rainfall, drought and cyclone patterns are changing too.

    In a study published in the January 2013 issue of the journal Biological Conservation, Barrett and colleagues examined what these changes could mean for lemur health by taking a cue from the parasites they carry.

    The team focused on six species of mites, ticks and intestinal worms commonly known to infect lemurs. The parasites are identified in lemur fur and feces. Some species — such as pinworms, whipworms and tapeworms — cause diarrhea, dehydration and weight loss in human hosts. Others, particularly mites and ticks, can transmit diseases such as plague, typhus or scabies.

    When the researchers compared their present-day maps with parasite distributions predicted for the future, they found that lemur parasites could expand their range by as much as 60 percent. Whipworms, for example, which are now largely confined to Madagascar’s northeast and western coasts, may become widely distributed on the country’s southeastern coast as well.

    Anne Yoder, senior author on the study and Director of the Duke Lemur Center, said the research is particularly important now as lemurs have been identified by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as the most endangered mammals on earth.

    Warmer weather means that parasites could grow and reproduce more quickly, or spread to higher latitudes and elevations where once they were unable to survive. As lemur parasites become more prevalent, the diseases they carry could show up in new places. The spread could be harmful to lemur populations that have never encountered these pests before, and lack resistance to the diseases they carry.

    Shifting parasite distributions could have ripple effects on people too. As human population growth in Madagascar drives people and their livestock into previously uninhabited areas, wildlife-human disease transmission becomes increasingly likely.

    The authors hope their results will help researchers predict where disease hotspots are likely to occur, and prepare for them before they hit.

    Meredith Barrett is now a postdoctoral scholar with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health & Society Scholars Program at the University of California at San Francisco and Berkeley. Jason Brown of Duke University and Randall Junge of the Columbus Zoo & Aquarium were also authors of this study.

    http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/01/130123165038.htm

  3. Salohy Soloarivelo
    05 August 12, 12:53am

    http://archive.k4health.org/toolkits/phe/linking-biodiversity-conservation-and-water-sanitation-and-hygiene-experiences-sub-saha

    ABCG Conservation and WASH_final.pdf
    Source: Africa Biodiversity Collaborative Group and Conservation International,
    2012 : 63.

    This paper aims to build the evidence base for how implementers have integrated Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and freshwater ecosystem conservation to date in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and to document lessons learned from projects taking a more holistic approach to conservation and development. After an extensive review of existing projects that integrate freshwater conservation and WASH appraoches, the report summarizes four projects that provide good models for future efforts in SSA. These projects are: The Rural Access to New Opportunities for Health and Water Resource Management (RANON’ALA) Project in Madagascar; Pangani Basin Environmental Flow Assessment in Tanzania; Working for Wetlands in South Africa; and the Sustainable Fisheries (Ba-Nafaa) Project in The Gambia and Senegal. The report also provides lessons learned from the review, as well as an analysis of opportunities and challenges with implementing integrated health and conservaiton projects.
    Personal Author: Bonnardeaux, D.

    Regions/Countries: Africa, Sub-Saharan | Gambia | Madagascar | South Africa | Tanzania

  4. Herilala Randriamahazo
    19 July 12, 4:54am

    2011 National Workshop Report

    1. Title: National Symposium on Endemic Tortoise Protection

    2. Date and venue: 9th September 2011 at Hotel La Piscine, Mahajanga

    3. Organizers and Partners:
    Organizers: Ministry of Environment and Forests (MEF); Directorate General of Forests (DGF); Regional Directorate of Environment and Forests – Boeny (DREF-Boeny).
    Partners: Alliance Voahary Gasy (AVG); Biodiversity Conservation Madagascar (BCM); CITES Scientific Authority for Fauna; Conservation International (CI); Durrell; IUCN/SSC/TFTSG; The Orianne Society (TOS); Turtle Conservancy (TC); Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA); SOPTOM; WWF.
    Moderator: Madame Lydie Raharimaniraka (DVRN).
    Workshop Speakers: DREF-Boeny; DREF-Atsimo Andrefana; DREF-Androy; DREF-Menabe; DREF-Melaky; BCM; DGF.

    3. Discussion
    The moderator introduced the workshop speakers and suggested that each of them addresses the issue in two parts: first, to identify and clarify the nature of the threats that the endemic tortoise species are facing today and secondly, to propose solutions to this crisis and consider whether a Tortoise Protection Framework could be a suitable policy response.

    The speakers and discussants responded to the first issue in divergent fashion. Two speakers from the South and a couple of discussants expressed the view that the main threat is the lack of capacity to enforce the law especially on the ground and the public policy comes in second position. They suggested that several governance institutions already existed and were functioning but there was not enough funding to support their actions. Some took the view that the general principles that should regulate the tortoise protection were already accepted internationally (IUCN, CITES) and that the current national legislation encapsulated all of these. Most of the speakers and discussants however took the view that the tortoise protection was buffeted by many administration problems/issues that may be of a substantively new character and may need a different public policy response.

    The workshop participants drew varied comments to the second question on the appropriate responses to these policy concerns. Some speakers and discussants were of the view that a tortoise protection framework was both necessary and possible in the near future. A national approach for species protection was necessary to ensure that mutually agreed general principles, representing public interest, can be applied to the conservation of our unique biodiversity, in here the threatened endemic tortoises. Three levels of action incorporated in one proposal on the shape and content of a national framework like process, and its possible outcome, were put forward. Actors on the ground proposed to reinforce the existing tortoise protections in natural habitat as well as to develop some new collaboration when applicable without neglecting the main partner in tortoise conservation: the local community. The use of confiscated tortoises is another effort to be considered so that all individuals should contribute to the species survival through reproduction. A third source of substantive principles for a national approach would be to elaborate the reintroduction standards in more specific contexts allowing confiscated tortoises to return in the wild. While a wide range of institutions may be allowed to implement and carry out the mandate of this tortoise protection framework it was suggested that a strong leadership from each DREF was required at this stage of the development of the regional tortoise conservation action plan.

    There were two kinds of opposition to the idea of creating captive breeding centers outside the country embodied in the third level of action. First, it was suggested that the creation of a center outside Madagascar is only suitable for inter-governmental arrangements. Secondly, it was suggested that it was futile to think in terms of a single body of general principles that could respond to the heterogeneous and distributed character of the interested parties/countries. It was suggested that concerned partners should help the forestry administration in assessing available best practices around the world to better elucidate the question of traceability and ownership of progenitors. Its adoption and acceptability would depend upon the quality of the feasibility study to be undertaken.

    The speakers and discussants attempted to move beyond these various oppositions and several options emerged. First, it was suggested that it is a top priority action for Madagascar to strictly preserve threatened tortoises while they are still in nature (Figure 1). The second mode of reconciling these varied positions is to focus on developing protocols of reintroduction, which will be used to normalize or improve the existing practices of reintroduction as well as those to be created hereafter (Figure 2). The IUCN guidelines are the starting point and the main tasks will be to adjust them to the local context. The third point is to make sure that all captive tortoises should contribute to the survival of the species (Figure 3).

    In conclusion, a few of the participants proposed to form a ‘dynamic coalition’ of interested parties to enhance dialogue on the future shape and content of a “Regional Framework” in application of the current national plan of actions. This Dynamic Coalition would be open and participatory and will explore the various options, which emerged at this workshop and will dialogue and develop these views over the next year right up to the next regional workshop.

    4. Possible follow-up
    • The workshop consultant has to finalize the official workshop report document.
    • Emergence of a ‘dynamic coalition for Radiated Tortoise workshop, for continued dialogue on the issue.
    • A feasibility study to assess best practices on tortoise conservation around the world.
    • Developing the missing protocols in the reintroduction process.

    Figure 1:

    Figure 2:

    Figure 3:

  5. Herilala Randriamahazo
    18 July 12, 2:47am

    To complement the description provided above, I would like to add the following comment taken from a news-bite provided by the President of Conservation International, Dr. Russell Mittermeier:
    Science and experience both tell us that in order to maintain Madagascar’s lemur fauna and its biodiversity in general, it is essential to have a well-managed, representative network of parks and reserves. But these reserves are important not just for Madagascar’s biodiversity; they are essential for the long-term well-being of its people. The vast majority of the ecosystem services benefiting Madagascar’s human population derive from these protected areas. These services include water from forested watersheds, pollination, maintenance of productive soils, fibers, building materials, plant foods from the forest and carbon sequestration.

    Of particular note, these ecosystems and the biodiversity within them provide many sources of jobs and livelihoods, especially in terms of ecotourism and associated activities. Madagascar has only begun to scratch the surface of its enormous tourist potential, counting only about 250,000 visitors per year, compared to tiny nearby Mauritius which attracts more than a million international visitors a year.

  6. Salohy
    18 July 12, 2:10am

    “Madagascar’s Lemurs: Thriving in Theaters, Disappearing in the Wild” : A new analysis of the world’s lemurs shows that 91% of lemur species are at risk of extinction

    STATUS OF 103 SPECIES OF LEMURS ASSESSED BY SCIENTISTS REVEALS ALARMING LOSS; INDICATES URGENT NEED TO PROTECT MADAGASCAR’S GLOBALLY IMPORTANT FORESTS FOR PRIMATES AND PEOPLE
    Antanarivo, Madagascar — Leading conservationists have gathered at a workshop of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Species Survival Commission this week to review the conservation status of the world’s 103 lemur species — the most endangered primate group in the world.
    The results of the conference have today been announced, highlighting that many lemur species are on the very brink of extinction due primarily to habitat loss, and in need of urgent and effective protection measures. The conservation status of 91 per cent of the world’s lemur species have now been upgraded to either ‘Critically Endangered’, ‘Endangered’ or ‘Vulnerable’ on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species — an indicator of rampant forest loss which additionally endangers vital ecosystem services that support Madagascar’s people.
    Of the world’s 103 different species of lemurs, 23 are now considered ‘Critically Endangered’, 52 are ‘Endangered, 19 are ‘Vulnerable’ and two are ‘Near Threatened’. Just three lemur species are listed as ‘Least Concern’. A previous assessment carried out in 2005 as part of a Global Mammal Assessment identified 8 species as ‘Critically Endangered’, 18 as ‘Endangered’, and 15 as ‘Vulnerable’, already a very high number. However, given the recent increases in the number of new species and the fact that the level of threat has increased over the past three years, the experts decided to carry out a reassessment of Madagascar’s lemur fauna.
    Lemurs are in danger of becoming extinct by destruction of their tropical forest habitat on their native island of Madagascar, off Africa’s Indian Ocean coast, where political uncertainty has increased poverty and accelerated illegal logging. Hunting of these animals has also emerged as a more serious threat than previously imagined.
    Dr Christoph Schwitzer, Head of Research at Bristol Zoo Gardens, is a world leading primatologist and is on the organising committee for the conference in his role as advisor on Madagascar’s primates and the Red List authority for the IUCN Species Survival Commission’s (SSC) Primate Specialist Group. He explained the significance of the lemur assessments: “The results of our review workshop this week have been quite a shock as they show that Madagascar has, by far, the highest proportion of threatened species of any primate habitat region or any one country in the world. As a result, we now believe that lemurs are probably the most endangered of any group of vertebrates.”
    Among the most spectacular species of lemurs assessed as ‘Critically Endangered’ this week is the indri, the largest of the living lemurs and a species of symbolic value comparable to that of China’s giant panda, Madame Berthe’s mouse lemur, at 30 grams the world’s smallest primate, and the blue-eyed black lemur, the only primate species other than humans that has blue eyes. Probably the rarest lemur is the northern sportive lemur (Lepilemur septentrionalis), of which there are only 18 known individuals left.
    Dr. Russell Mittermeier, President of Conservation International and Chair of IUCN/SSC’s Primate Specialist Group, said: “This new assessment highlights the very high extinction risk faced by Madagascar’s unique lemur fauna and it is indicative of the grave threats to Madagascar biodiversity as a whole, which is vital to supporting its people. As the forests go, so do lemurs and a host of benefits derived from them.”
    “Madagascar’s unique and wonderful species are its greatest asset and its most distinctive brand and the basis for a major tourism industry that continues to grow in spite of the current political problems.”
    “Besides, Madagascar has faced considerable political instability since a coup in March 2009, and the current government is not recognized by any other country, with most international aid donors having withdrawn their support for the environment and most other activities. This withdrawal includes USAID, which is now giving only humanitarian assistance.

    Following the 2009 coup, there was a serious enforcement breakdown as two key protected areas in northern Madagascar — UNESCO World Heritage sites Masoala and Marojejy National Parks — were invaded for extraction of valuable timbers, especially rosewood.”
    The workshop, held in Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar, included a welcome speech by British entrepreneur, Sir Richard Branson, who is a great fan of lemurs and welcomed the work being done by conservationists to protect these rare creatures. The workshop also had the support of the Ambatovy Nickel Mining Project, the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund and the Margot Marsh Biodiversity Foundation.
    Delegates, who have attended the conference from the UK, Madagascar, the United States, Canada, India, Germany, Italy and France, are now working together to establish a Conservation Action Plan to protect the most threatened lemurs over the coming decade.
    Dr Schwitzer said: “This conference is a good example of the growing importance of collaboration between the international conservation, research and zoo communities in the protection of species and habitats. At Bristol Zoo Gardens, we will continue our conservation and research with the aim of increasing the effectiveness of the conservation activities, as well as increasing our understanding of these, and other, critically endangered species.”
    A more positive outcome of the conference has been the discovery of a previously unknown species of lemur — a type of mouse lemur — discovered by Peter Kappeler and his team at the German Primate Center. The new species is found in the Marolambo area of eastern Madagascar. A formal description of the species has not yet been published, meaning it has not yet been given a name. This is the 103rd taxon of lemur known to man.
    In Madagascar, Bristol Zoo is working with other European zoos to protect the last remaining populations of two critically endangered lemur species, the blue-eyed black lemur and the Sahamalaza sportive lemur. Both are only found on the Sahamalaza Peninsula in the northwest of the island and are threatened by habitat destruction and hunting. Bristol Zoo’s work in the field is carried out through the Bristol Conservation and Science Foundation (BCSF), which is based at Bristol Zoo Gardens. For more information about Bristol Zoo and BCSF’s project work in Madagascar, visit http://www.bcsf.org.uk/madagascar
    Bristol Zoo Gardens is a conservation and education charity and relies on the generous support of the public not only to fund its important work in the zoo, but also its vital conservation and research projects spanning five continents. http://www.bristolzoo.org.uk
    For more information, please read and comment :

    http://blog.conservation.org/2012/07/madagascars-lemurs-thriving-in-theaters-disappearing-in-the-wild/

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