Eastern Littoral Forest

Once much of the eastern shore of Madagascar were covered by an evergreen humid forest growing in sandy soil. The high human population density along the coast has led to a severe reduction of the littoral forest. Only a few, scattered fragments remain. These fragments, however, are quite varied in their plant composition. It is estimated that these fragments contain approximately 1200 plant species, or about 10% of species found on the island as a whole. Of these 1200 species, about half are found only in this type of habitat. [Despite a great deal of conservation work in recent years, the extent of undisturbed vegetation in Madagascar continues to shrink.] In light of this, it was decided that these fragments represented sites worthy of conservation. They have until now been overlooked in the effort to preserve Madagascar's natural habitat. Two of the largest remaining fragments, at Mahabo and Vohibola, were chosen for a new and innovative approach to the study and conservation of the forest, a community-based approach that provides local people with the means and the incentive to preserve what remains of the forest. At the same time, by protecting the forest affords MBG researchers the opportunity to gather valuable information on the flora and fauna found there. The data gathered will allow MBG to formulate a good management regime for the area.

The Vohibola site is located near Brickaville at 18° 34’S, 48° 29’E. In 2001 a local NGO was appointed by the government to manage the community-development component of the project. MBG continues to conduct a floristic inventory of the Vohibola forest. Both vascular and non-vascular plants will be collected. One of the more exciting discoveries was an example of Humbertodendron saboureaui, a plant last collected in 1949 and thought to be extinct. Herbarium specimens from Vohibola as well as M, will be deposited in the Parc Botanique et Zoologique de Tsimbazaza (PBZT), Madagascar, and the Missouri Botanical Garden, with additional specimens going to Kew, New York, and Paris, as the collections allow.

Mahabo Site

About 300 miles to the south of Vohibola and about 50 miles south of F. is the commune of Mahabo. The town is situated several miles from the coast along National Route 12. Between Mahabo and the ocean, and just to the south of an area of[unproductive laterite soil, lie about 1500 hectares of littoral forest that has a particularly rich flora.

Scattered near the forest are a number of villages, with about 10,000 inhabitants in all. Traditionally the local people have made their living primarily by rice cultivation; to the south and west of the forest is a large area covered in rice paddies. The other major source of food and income has been fishing, both riverine and marine. Rice and fish are supplemented by cassava cultivation, hunting, and some animal husbandry (chickens, ducks, pigs). In addition, cattle, which are used to prepare the rice fields, are sold at market, as are baskets woven from sedge.

The forest was traditionally used to gather building materials and fuel, but this limited harvest of wood did not exceed the forest’s capacity to regenerate itself. Problems arise when something interferes with the normal course of events. If weather causes a crop failure, people are compelled to go into the forest to extract resources, in the form of timber, which is sold to regional timber merchants in order to buy food. The market is for large trees, so this sort of forest use has a strong impact on the forest itself. Hence, as long as the local’s food supply is uncertain, so too is the fate of the forest. Because of this, the emphasis of MBG’s work is on development of community resources that are designed to ensure that people won’t be driven by necessity to further damage the forest. The development efforts focus on several areas: diversification of crops and vegetable gardening, healthcare, education, and establishing community rules for forest exploitation.