Celebrating 25 Years of Action for Biodiversity

Madagascar committed to the World Parks Congress held in Durban in 2003, to triple the area of its protected sites [ ] 147 A modern vision of protected areas for Madagascar The establishment of the Madagas- car Protected Areas System is the result of a participatory and inclusive process at local, regional and national levels integrating all stakeholders. It has been done in such a way as to involve the local population in the management of natural resources, to engage in consultation with all sec- tors and actors concerned, to enhance the cultural and traditional charac- teristics in conservation, to empower regional and local authorities in the management of protected areas, to integrate protected areas within a broader framework of spatial plan- ning and development of the territory and to mobilize financial resources at a national and international level in order to perpetuate conservation and development activities. The System of Protected Areas of Madagascar (SAPM) reflects a mod- ern vision of protected areas, notably through the introduction of new types of governance, the establish- ment of protected areas of all catego- ries of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and The involvement of all stakeholders, especially local communities, NGOs, decentralized local authorities and the private sector in the management of protected areas. The protected area system is a representative set of protected areas that includes all major habitats that are large enough to support viable populations of flora and fauna, and well-connected in order to enable the genetic exchange necessary for the stability of species. In 2015, the code for the manage- ment of protected areas was recast, and new protected area categories were created — the natural mon- ument, the harmonious protected landscape, and the reserve of natural resources — along with management objectives combining conservation and development. In the medium and long term, efforts will also focus on the financial sustainability of the areas protected, and the growing involvement of local communities in this management. This would ensure sustainable devel- opment and reduce the pressures and threats on the protected areas. Currently, the country’s commit- ments to the creation of protected ar- eas have been met, with 123 protected areas, of which 122 have decrees of definitive creation and one area is under temporary protection status Together, these cover an area of just over 7 million ha or approximately 12 per cent of national territory. Marketing actions are necessary to enhance the biological, ecological, cultural, morphological and aes- thetic potentials of these areas and to ensure the commercialization of associated products such as access and filming, and promote other value chains such as tourism, catering, and handicrafts in their peripheral areas. Central highlands Madagascar M adagascar is one of the 10 hotspots of global biodiversity. The unique natural heritage is severely threatened with extinction due to anthropogenic and sectoral activities. However, sustainable socio-economic development depends on environmental goods and ecological services provided by ecosystems. To date, enormous progress has been made on the conservation and enhancement of biodiversity in order to ensure sustainable development that combines the preservation of biodiversity, economic development and social equity for all. 2Photo Pots on Unsplash