Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-ttngx Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-05-08T07:20:18.329Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Conservation issues and priorities in the Mikea Forest of south-west Madagascar

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 April 2009

Nathalie Seddon ,
Joe Tobias ,
James W. Yount ,
Julien Rémi Ramanampamonjy ,
Stuart Butchart  and
Hiarinirina Randrianizahana
Joe Tobias
Affiliation:
BirdLife International, Wellbrook Court, Girton Road, Cambridge CB3 0NA, UK
James W. Yount
Affiliation:
Land Resources Program, University of Wisconsin, Wl, USA
Julien Rémi Ramanampamonjy
Affiliation:
Pare Botanique et Zoologique de Tsimbazaza, Antananarivo 101, Madagascar
Hiarinirina Randrianizahana
Affiliation:
Ministère des Eaux et Forets, Naninsana, Antananarivo 101, Madagascar
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

The dry forests constitute one of the most distinct, yet least protected, ecosystems in Madagascar, an island renowned for high levels of endemism. They have generally been considered one of the most intact of Madagascar's climax vegetation types and accordingly have received little conservation effort. In particular, the Mikea Forest, a unique area between the Mangoky and Fiherenana rivers, currently receives negligible formal protection. It contains remarkably diverse plant and reptile assemblages, including several taxa that are found nowhere else, plus the only populations of two threatened bird species: the subdesert mesite Monias benschi and long-tailed ground-roller Uratelornis chimaera. From satellite imagery we estimate that primary forest cover declined by 15.6 per cent from 1962 to 1999, and that the rate of deforestation has increased from 0.35 per cent per annum in 1962–94 to 0.93 per cent per annum over the past 5 years. The most important factors underlying this process are slash-and-burn maize cultivation in the northern Mikea Forest and charcoal production at its southern fringe. Given these alarming circumstances, we suggest that combinations of conservation measures are required to safeguard the biological diversity of the area. Specifically, we recommend the establishment of a large protected area to the north of Manombo, a co-ordinated network of community-based conservation areas throughout the Mikea Forest, development projects to improve agriculture, and a regional research and education centre.

Keywords

Biodiversitydry forestMadagascarMikea Forestthreats
Type
Research Article
Information
Oryx , Volume 34 , Issue 4 , October 2000 , pp. 287 - 304
Copyright
Copyright © Fauna and Flora International 2000

References

ANGAP, PNUE, ONE (1998) Monographic Nationale sur la Biodiversité. L'Association Nationale pour la Gestion des Aires Protégées, Antananarivo, Madagascar [in French].Google Scholar
Ashley, C. (1997) Livelihood Strategics of Rural Households in Caprivi: Implications for Conservation and Natural Resource Management. Living in a Finite Environment (LIFE) Programme of WWF and USAID, Windhoek, Namibia.Google Scholar
Ashley, C. & Roe, D. (1998) Enhancing Community Involvement in Wildlife Tourism: Issues and Challenges. International Institute for Environment and Development, London.Google Scholar
Astuti, R. (1995) People of the Sea. Descent and Identity among the Vczo of Madagascar. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
BirdLife International (2000) Threatened Birds of the World. BirdLife International, Cambridge, UK.Google Scholar
Boo, E. (1990) Ecotourism: the Potentials and Pitfalls. WWF, Baltimore.Google Scholar
CNRE (2000) Sociétés pnysannes, dynamiqucs écologiques et gestion de l'espace rural dans le sud-ouest de Madagascar. Atelier Centre Nationale de Recherche Environnemental, 8–10 Novembre. Antananarivo, Madagascar [in French].Google Scholar
Collar, N.J & Stuart, S.N. (1988) Key Forests for Threatened Birds in Africa. BirdLife International, Cambridge, UK.Google Scholar
Curry-Lindahl, K. (1975) Man in Madagascar. Defenders of Wildlife, 50, 164–169.Google Scholar
Deleporte, P., Randrianasolo, J. & Rakotonirina, (1996) Sylviculture in the dry forest of western Madagascar. In Ecology and Economy of a Tropical Dry Forest in Madagascar (eds Ganzhorn, J.U. and Sorg, J.-P.), pp. 89–116. Erich Goltze, Göttingen, Germany.Google Scholar
Domergue, C.A. (1983) Note préliminaire en vue de la mise en réserve de la forêt du point kilomètre 32 au nord de Tuléar Madagascar [in French]. Bulletin de 1'Academic Malgache, 61, 105–114.Google Scholar
Dowsett, R.J. & Forbes-Watson, A.D. (1993) Checklist of Birds of the Afrotropical and Malagasy Regions. Tauraco Press, Liège, Belgium.Google Scholar
Du Puy, D. J. & Moat, J. (1996) A refined classification of the primary vegetation of Madagascar based on the underlying geology: using GIS to maps its distribution and to assess its conservation status. Biogéographie de Madagascar, 1996, 205–218.Google Scholar
Durbin, J.C. & Ralambo, J.A. (1994) The role of local people in the successful maintenance of protected areas in Madagascar. Environmental Conservation, 21, 115–120.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Durbin, J.C. & Ratrimoarisaona, S.-N. (1996) Can ecotourism make a major contribution to the conservation of protected areas in Madagascar? Biodiversity and Conservation, 5, 345–353.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
FAO (1998) Statistical database. In Food and Agricultural Organisation-Production Yearbook. FAO, Rome.Google Scholar
Faramalala, M.H. (1988) Etude de la végétation de Madagascar à l'aide des données spatiales. PhD thesis, Université Paul Sabatier de Toulouse, 167pp. + map at 1:1,000,000 [in French].Google Scholar
Faramalala, M.H. (1995) Formations Végétates et Domaine Forestier National de Madagascar. Conservation International, Antananarivo, Madagascar [in French].Google Scholar
Freudenberger, K.S. (1994) Tree and Land Tenure: Rapid Appraisal Tools. Community Forestry Field Manual No. 4. Rome, FAO.Google Scholar
Ganzhorn, J., Rakotosamimanana, B., Hannah, L., Hough, J., Iyer, L., Olivieri, S., Rajaobelina, , Rodstrom, C. & Tilkin, G. (1997) Priorities for conservation in Madagascar, Primate Report 48–1. Special Issue.Google Scholar
Garbutt, N. (1999) Mammals of Madagascar. Pica Press, Sussex, UK.Google Scholar
Glaw, F. & Vences, M. (1994) A Field Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of Madagascar. Moos Druck, Leverkusen, Germany.Google Scholar
Goodman, S.M., Pidgeon, M., Hawkins, A.F.A. & Schulenberg, T.S. (1997) The birds of southeastern Madagascar. Fieldiana, 87, 1–132.Google Scholar
Guichon, A. (1960) La superficie des formations forestières à Madagascar. Revue Forestière Française, 6, 408–411 [in French].CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Horning, N.R. (2000) Explaining compliance with rules governing common-pool forest resource use and conservation: dynamics in Bara country, southwestern Madagascar. Proceedings of the International Association for the Study of Common Property, 31 May–4 June 2000, Bloomington, Indiana.Google Scholar
IMF (1999) Madagascar: Statistical Annex. International Monetry Fund Staff Country Report no. 99/17. IMF Publication Services, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Inventaire Ecologique Forestier National (1997) Carte de la Végétation de Madagascar, 1:1,000,000. FTM, Antananarivo, Madagascar [in French].Google Scholar
IUCN (1996) IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland.Google Scholar
Jones, B. (1997) Community-based Nature Resource Management in Botswana and Namibian Inventory and Preliminary analysis of Progress. Report to the International Institute for Environment and Development, Evaluating Eden Project.Google Scholar
King, D.A. & Stewart, W.P. (1996) Ecotourism and commodification: protecting people and places. Biodiversity and Conservation, 5, 293–305.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Langrand, O (1990) Guide to the Birds of Madagascar. Yale University Press, New Haven and London.Google Scholar
Morris, P. & Hawkins, F. (1998) Birds of Madagascar. A Photographic Guide. Pica Press, East Sussex, UK.Google Scholar
Nelson, R. & Horning, N. (1993) AVHRR-LAC estimates of forest area in Madagascar, 1990. International journal of Remote Sensing, 14, 1463–1475.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nicoll, M.E. & Langrand, O. (1989) Madagascar: Revue de la Conservation et des Aires Protégées. WWF, Gland, Switzerland [in French].Google Scholar
Phillipson, P.B. (1996) Endemism and non-endemism in Madagascar. Biogéographie de Madagascar, 1996, 125–136.Google Scholar
Rakotovao, L.H., Rajeriarison, C. & Ramavololona, (1996) Les Didiereaceae: origine, affinités systématiques et répartition à Madagascar. Biogéographie de Madagascar, 1996, 183 [in French].Google Scholar
Raonintsoa, P.N. (1996) The role of the forest in the local economy. In Ecology and Economy of a Tropical Dry Forest in Madagascar Primate Report 46–1 (eds Ganzhorn, J. U. and Sorg, J. P.), pp. 41–47. Göttingen, Germany.Google Scholar
Rasambainarivo, J.H. & Razafindratsita, R. (1998) Production of the Malagasy extensive livestock. In Food and Agricultural Organisation-Production Yearbook 1998. FAO, Rome.Google Scholar
Raxworthy, C. (1995) Field Survey of Amphibians, Reptiles and Small Mammals from the Toliara Region, Madagascar, October 5–30 1995. Unpublished field report, University of Michigan, USA..Google Scholar
Razanaka, S.J. (1995) Délimitation des zones de contact déserts semi aride et sub aride de la végétation du Sud-Ouest de Madagascar. Thèse de Doctorat 3ème cycle, Université d'Antananarivo, 244 pp [in French].Google Scholar
Razanaka, S.J. (1996) Répartition des espèces xérophiles dans le sud-ouest de Madagascar. Biogéographie de Madagascar, 1996, 171 [in French].Google Scholar
Réau, B. (1996) Dégradation de I'cnvironnement forestier et reactions paysannes: les migrants tandroy sur la côte ouest de Madagascar. PhD thesis, Université Michel de Montagne, Bordeaux, France [in French].Google Scholar
Richard, A. & O'Connor, S. (1997) Degradation, transformation and conservation. In Natural Change and Human Impact in Madagascar (eds Goodman, S.M. and Patterson, B.D.). Smithsonian Institute Press, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Rollin, D. & Razafintsalama, H. (1998) Du semis direct en agriculture extensive sur défriche au semis direct sur une couverture permanente du sol, éléments pour une évolution des systèmes de culture dans le Sud-ouest. In Actes de I'atelier International sur la Gestion Agrobiologique des Sols et des Systèmes de Culture, 23–28 Mars [in French]. Antsirabe, Madagascar.Google Scholar
Royal Botanical Gardens and Kew (1997) Index Kewensis. Version 2, CD-ROM Oxford University Press, Oxford.Google Scholar
Salomon, J.N. (1977) Fourrés et forêts sèches du Sud-ouest Malgache. Madagascar Revue Géographic, 32, 19 [in French].Google Scholar
Salomon, J.N. (1987) Le Sud-ouest de Madagascar, Étude de Géographie Physique. Presses Universitaires Bordeaux, Bordeaux, 998 pp [in French].Google Scholar
Stattersfield, A.J., Crosby, M.J., Long, A.J. & Wege, D.C. (1998) Global Directory of Endemic Bird Areas, BirdLife International (BirdLife Conservation Series). BirdLife International, Cambridge, UK.Google Scholar
Sussman, R.W., Green, G.M. & Sussman, I.K. (1994) Satellite imagery, human ecology, anthropology and deforestation in Madagascar. Human Ecology, 22, 333–354.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wells, M. & Brandon, K. (1992) People and Parks: Linking Protected Area Management with Local Communities. The World Bank, Washington, USA.Google Scholar
White, F. (1983) The Vegetation of Africa: a Descriptive Memoir to Accompany the UNESCO/IAETFAT/UNSO Vegetation Map of Africa. Natural Resources Research 20, UNESCO, Paris.Google Scholar
Wilson, D.E. & Reeder, D.M. (1993) Mammal Species of the World. A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. Smithsonian Institute Press, Washington and London.Google Scholar
WCMC (1991) Guide de la Diversité de Madagascar. World Conservation Monitoring Centre, Cambridge, UK.Google Scholar
WFF (1993) Coral reefs and coastal zone of Toliara: conservation and development through ecotourism. Unpublished pre-project report. World Wide Fund for Nature-Madagascar, Antananarivo, Madagascar.Google Scholar
WWF (1997) Toliara Sustainable Energy Project WWF Summary Progress reports, Vol. 5. World Wide Fund for Nature, Gland, Switzerland.Google Scholar
WWF & IUCN (1994) Centres of Plant Diversity. A Guide and Strategy for their Conservation. 3 Volumes, World Wide Fund for Nature and IUCN, IUCN, Cambridge, UK.Google Scholar
Wright, P. (1997) The future of biodiversity in Madagascar: a view from Ranomafana National Park. In Natural Change and Human Impact in Madagascar (eds Goodman, S.M. and Patterson, B.D.). Smithsonian Institute Press, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Yount, J.W., Tsiazonera, & Tucker, B.T. (in press) Constructing Mikea identity: past or present links to forest and foraging. In Ethnohistory, Special Issue on Madagascar (ed. Kaufmann, J.C.).Google Scholar
ZICOMA (1999) Projet ZICOMA, Antananarivo, Madagascar. [in French].Google Scholar