44 research outputs found
Biodiversity offsetting â en vogue in Madagascar?
Editorial - no abstrac
Roots & Shoots: A model for active environmental protection
Madagascar is facing severe environmental problems. One approach to engage possible future stakeholders and to raise awareness for environmental concerns is the Roots & Shoots program. On the following the program and its philosophy are presented
Editorial
Tinker, tailor, wise man, madman, taxman â please
Madagascar rich and intransparent
No Abstrac
Comic Strips as Environmental Educative Tools for the Alaotra Region
The Alaotra Gentle Lemur (Hapalemur griseus alaotrensis) is one of the most endangered lemurs of Madagascar. The wild population struggles for survival in the rapidly disappearing papyrus marshes fringing Lake Alaotra, northeastern Madagascar. The current estimated population size of the Alaotra lemurs is about 3,000 individuals. The largest subpopulations left are found in the marshes around the four villages of Andreba, Ambodivoara, Andilana Sud and Anororo. These sites constitute the main focus of Madagascar Wildlife Conservationâs (MWC) environmental education project. In a test phase lasting from November 2006 - February 2007, eight primary school classes will implement a series of educative comic strips dealing with the complexity of the Alaotra lake and marshy ecosystem. The aim of this teaching method is to raise the awareness of the schoolchildren about the importance and significance of their natural environmen
Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), any opportunities for the Alaotra wetlands and livelihoods?
Species invasions are one of the worldâs most severe conservation threats. The invasive water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) is one of the most troublesome plants in the world. It appears in over 50 tropical and subtropical countries. This plant species causes several ecological and socioeconomic problems affecting ecosystems and local livelihoods. The water hyacinth occurs in the Alaotra wetlands encompassing the largest lake of Madagascar. The Alaotra region is renowned as Madagascarâs bread basket as it is the biggest rice and inland fish producer. The current study collected socioeconomic data from the Alaotra wetland stakeholders within three locations around Lake Alaotra to contextualize local livelihoods and to identify the drivers and barriers for the utilization of this plant. Methods of control seem to be unrealistic due to institutional and financial limitations in Madagascar. Using the plant as fertilizer, animal fodder or for handicrafts seems to represent a feasible alternative to improve the livelihood of the local population. However, local concerns about livelihood security may hinder acceptance of such new alternatives. Providing information as well as financial and technical support to local stakeholders may help encourage the use of the water hyacinth in the Alaotra region
The Alaotra gentle lemur: Population estimation and subsequent implications
Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust (DWCT) has conducted since 1994 several censusâ on the population of the Alaotran gentle lemur to observe the development of the population in time and space
Ten years into the marshes â Hapalemur alaotrensis conservation, one step forward and two steps back?
Natural resource management problems typically involve a multitude of stakeholders with diverse sets of needs and interests, and often conflicting worldviews in an environment with growing uncertainty. Such problems are termed âwickedâ problems, where there are no right or wrong solutions, only more or less acceptable ones. In the case of Lake Alaotra, growing agricultural pressures have a negative impact on the wetland biodiversity and especially on the Alaotra gentle lemur (Hapalemur alaotrensis) restricted to these marshlands. The species survival is highly uncertain because of increased habitat loss caused mainly by marshland fires. The conservation work for this unique lemur is complex and complicated and requires the involvement and collaboration of decision-making institutions, NGOs, universities and riverine communities. From the inception of projects to their implementation phase, all parties need clearly defined responsibilities and transparency in communication in order to run projects successfully. This article describes the approach that Madagascar Wildlife Conservation has been implementing during the past ten years at Lake Alaotra, discussing the plan of action and challenges for environmental education, ecotourism and alternative livelihoods. Les problĂšmes de gestion des ressources naturelles impliquent gĂ©nĂ©ralement une multitude dâintervenants avec divers ensembles de besoins et dâintĂ©rĂȘts, et souvent, les visions du monde contradictoires dans un environnement avec une incertitude croissante. Ces problĂšmes sont appelĂ©s problĂšmes sournois, âwicked problemsâ en anglais, oĂč il nây a pas de bonnes ou de mauvaises solutions, seules plus ou moins acceptables. Dans le cas du lac Alaotra, la croissance des pressions agricoles a un impact nĂ©gatif sur la biodiversitĂ© des zones humides, et en particulier sur lâAlaotra lĂ©murien douce (Hapalemur alaotrensis) limitĂ©e Ă ces marais. La survie de lâespĂšce est trĂšs incertaine en raison de lâaugmentation de la perte dâhabitat causĂ©e principalement par les feux de marais. Les travaux de conservation pour ce lĂ©murien unique sont complexes et compliquĂ©s, et nĂ©cessitent lâimplication et la collaboration sur la prise de dĂ©cision des institutions, des ONG, des universitĂ©s et des communautĂ©s riveraines. Cela implique que toutes les parties, depuis la crĂ©ation de projets Ă leur phase de mise en oeuvre, partagent un terrain dâentente avec les avantages clairement dĂ©finis de pouvoir de dĂ©cision, les responsabilitĂ©s et la transparence dans la communication. Madagascar Wildlife Conservation a travaillĂ© sur le lac depuis plus de dix ans, y compris lâĂ©ducation environnementale, l'Ă©cotourisme et les moyens de subsistance alternatifs dans le plan dâaction. Cet article met en Ă©vidence lâapproche adoptĂ©e et examine ses dĂ©fis
Environmental education in its infancy at Lake Alaotra, Madagascar
Madagascar is renowned for its unique biodiversity but also for the continuous degradation of its natural environment and its high poverty rate. In order to achieve sustainable development, environmental education has been assigned a key role. In the lake Alaotra region, Madagascarâs most important rice and inland fish production area, primary schools are the sole formal education for the majority of the population. In order to gain an overview on the education of âtomorrowâsâ resource users, this study assessed the general state of the school system and of environmental education in particular. The focus was on understanding local definitions of environmental education, its application and local perceptions of environmental problems. Over 50 in - depth interviews were conducted using the Funnel approach with teachers from 18 public primary schools. The interviews were supplemented with focus groups and a participatory problem analysis workshop. Teachers in the Alaotra region provided a different definition of environmental education than the United Nations. Their focus is on social aspects rather than the actual problems of the natural environment, which represents a different point of view than non - governmental organizations (NGOs) from abroad, who are the main promoters of environmental education in the area. This indicates that education for sustainable development might be more suitable in the region than the currently promoted environmental education. When developing educational programs, it is important to include the teachers in the development processes to ensure inclusion of local views and needs. This will increase the probability that such programs are locally meaningful and useful.RĂSUMĂSi Madagascar est rĂ©putĂ©e pour sa biodiversitĂ© unique, elle lâest aussi pour la dĂ©gradation de son environnement naturel et son taux de pauvretĂ© Ă©levĂ©. LâĂ©ducation Ă lâenvironnement est un Ă©lĂ©ment important dans lâaccĂšs au dĂ©veloppement durable. Dans la rĂ©gion Alaotra qui est le principal producteur de riz et de poissons dâeau douce de Madagascar, lâĂ©ducation est dispensĂ©e presquâexclusivement par les Ă©coles primaires pour la majoritĂ© de la population limitrophe du lac Alaotra. Pour comprendre globalement lâĂ©ducation des futurs utilisateurs des ressources, lâĂ©tude a Ă©valuĂ© la situation qui prĂ©vaut dans le systĂšme scolaire en gĂ©nĂ©ral et celui de lâĂ©ducation environnementale en particulier. Les travaux se sont concentrĂ©s sur les dĂ©finitions locales de lâĂ©ducation environnementale, sa mise en oeuvre et les perceptions locales des problĂšmes environnementaux. Plus de 50 interviews dĂ©taillĂ©es ont Ă©tĂ© rĂ©alisĂ©es avec des enseignants de 18 Ă©coles primaires sous mĂ©thode Funnel. Les interviews ont Ă©tĂ© complĂ©tĂ©es par des groupes de discussion et un atelier participatif portant sur lâanalyse du problĂšme. Les enseignants de la rĂ©gion de lâAlaotra ont Ă©noncĂ© une dĂ©finition diffĂ©rente de lâĂ©ducation environnementale que celle proposĂ©e par les Nations Unies. Leur prioritĂ© porte davantage sur les aspects sociaux que sur les problĂšmes de lâenvironnement naturel lui-mĂȘme, divergeant ainsi du point de vue des organisations non gouvernementales (ONG) Ă©trangĂšres, qui sont actuellement les principaux promoteurs de lâĂ©ducation environnementale dans la rĂ©gion. Il apparait ainsi que lâĂ©ducation portant sur le dĂ©veloppement durable pourrait ĂȘtre plus appropriĂ©e que lâĂ©ducation environnementale. Lors de lâĂ©laboration des programmes Ă©ducatifs, il est donc important dâinclure des enseignants pour veiller Ă ce que les visions et besoins locaux soient considĂ©rĂ©s, ce qui donnera plus de chances aux dits programmes de prendre du sens et de servir leur dessein
Toponyms for centers of endemism in Madagascar
A biogeographical model was proposed in 2006 to explain the centers of endemism and the importance of riparian forest of some watersheds as refuges or dispersal corridors during paleoclimatic oscillations. Here, we consider these geographical features highlighting their biological and socio-cultural importance. We explain the etymology or eponymy of the major rivers of the retreat - dispersal watersheds, i.e., the drainage basins of Bemarivo, Antainambalana, Mangoro, Manampatrana, Mananara South, Mandrare, Onilahy, Mangoky, Tsiribihina, Betsiboka, Maevarano, Sambirano, and Mahavavy North. We propose a toponymy for each of the 15 centers of endemism and highlight their peculiarities. We named the centers of endemism of Vohimarina, Masoala, Analanjirofo, Tanala, Manombo, Anosy, Ranopiso, Karimbola, Mikea, Menabe, Melaky, Sofia, Ampasindava, Ankify, and Ankarana. We illustrate each center of endemism with a flagship species and report on its natural and cultural histories, and conservation.RÉSUMÉUn modèle biogéographique a été proposé en 2006 pour expliquer les centres d’endémisme de la biodiversité et l’importance des ripisylves de certains bassins versants en tant que refuges ou couloirs de dispersion au cours des oscillations paléoclimatiques. Ici, nous considérons ces dispositifs géographiques en soulignant leur importance biologique et socio-culturelle. Dans un premier temps, nous expliquons la toponymie ou l’éponymie des grands fleuves des bassins refuges et de dispersion, à savoir les bassins de la Bemarivo, de l’Antainambalana, du Mangoro, de la Manampatrana, de la Mananara du Sud, du Mandrare, de l’Onilahy, du Mangoky, de la Tsiribihina, de la Betsiboka, de la Maevarano, du Sambirano et de la Mahavavy du Nord. Puis nous proposons une toponymie pour chacun des 17 centres et sous-centres d’endémisme en justifiant leurs particularités. Nous retenons ainsi les centres d’endémisme de Vohimarina, de l’Atsinanana (dont Masoala et Analanjirofo), Tanala, de Manombo, de l’Anosy, d’Ala maika (dont Ranopiso, Karimbola et Mikea), du Menabe, du Melaky, de la Sofia, d’Ampasindava, d’Ankify et de l’Ankarana. Nous illustrons chacun des centres d’endémisme avec une espèce symbolique et rapportons des aspects de son histoire naturelle et culturelle ainsi que de sa conservation