EDEN PROJECTS, MADAGASCAR
Deforestation is no small problem in Madagascar.
In the coastal area, mangrove deforestation causes the destabilization of the coast and increases vulnerability of coastal communities to storms and other weather events that are becoming more frequent and intense due to human-induced climate change. Furthermore, deforestation threatens one of the rarest and most diverse forest systems in the world: the dry deciduous forest.
The dry deciduous forest that occupies the northwestern part of Madagascar is one ecoregion.
The ecoregions are defined by WWF how "relatively large units of land or water containing a distinct assemblage of natural species and communities, with boundaries approximating the original extent of natural communities before major land use changes".
This ecoregion, characterized by a high degree of endemics * both botanical and zoological, it includes two distinct geographical areas: the northern part of Madagascar and the western side of the island. A large part of the forest has been cleared and the remaining forests are fragmented.
*endenism: the exclusive presence of some plant and animal species in a given region.
EDEN PROJECTS DEVELOPMENT
In the area coastal, the deforestation of mangroves causes the destabilization of the coast and increases the vulnerability of coastal communities to storms and other weather events that are becoming more frequent and intense due to human-induced climate change. Deforestation threat dry deciduous forests, one of the most forest systems rare is diversified in the world.
In 2007, in response to the massive loss of mangroves and montane forestsEden Reforestation Projects initiated the Madagascar Reforestation Project, planting over 16 million mangroves and dry deciduous trees.
This project has the full support of national, local governments for reforest large areas of mangroves and dry forests of deciduous trees along the coast and inland areas.
It is offered training is support financial to the local community to intervene in the entire reforestation project and to plant strategically millions of trees.
The systems of mangroves which are restored stabilize the coast with their dense aerial roots and protect it from tropical storms.
There methodology used for this project starts with providing a fair wages to people living in extreme poverty to produce, plant and protect millions of trees every month.
This allows them to earn a constant income and to afford basic necessities for their families.
When you plant a tree for Eden Projects not only help a plant trees and to make them better life condition of the locals, but you are helping to create a global impact.
REGIONAL CONTEXT
Villamatsa
Villamatsa is one community surrounded by a lowland mangrove forest (this forest is the restoration area).
The mangrove forests found in this area have been severely affected by deforestation and forest degradation due to coal production and harvesting of wood for other purposes.
Thanks also to the active participation of this community, it was possible to start a project of reforestation of the mangroves and forest protection to restore the vitality of the forest to this area. The project provides great support to local communities for plant is handle mangrove forests, offers work long-term and improvements of the means of livelihood, while protecting the important biodiversity which depends on mangrove forests.
Papamena
The Dried Hardwood Project Papamena is part of a much larger green forest restoration initiative that seeks to restore critical habitat and connect residual forest areas across a broad landscape in northwestern Madagascar.
This area was once a lush dry deciduous forest that was once home to many endemic species such as Coquerel's sifaka lemurs (Propithecus coquereli), golden-crowned sifaka (Propithecus tattersali) and Perrier's sifaka (Propithecus diadema perrieri) and the pit (Cryptoprocta ferox, the largest predator on the island).
In the photo below you can find in order from left to right:
Coquerel's sifaka, the pit, the golden-crowned sifaka.
The strong production of coal and bad agricultural practices have made this area a pasture.
Thanks to efforts reforestation of Eden Projects, the dry deciduous forest is taking place recovering quickly and some lemurs are returning to this area.
MONITORING AND VERIFICATION
An important part of the reforestation process is to monitor is to verify planting progress to understand which trees grow well and survive over time. Eden's Director of Forest Monitoring and Evaluation, Ezra Neale, explains Eden's monitoring and verification methods
[SOURCES: tree-nation.com]