Supporting Community Forest Patrollers in Madagascar
In June, Conservation International-Madagascar supplied new kits (tents, raincoats, torches, caps ) to local community members employed to patrol vital forests in eastern Madagascar to prevent harmful human activities.
An initial 300 community forest patrollers within the Ankeniheni-Zahamena (CAZ) and Ambositra-Vondrozo (COFAV) forest corridors received the kits, with others scheduled to receive them.
The patrollers, who are also equipped with Global Positioning Systems (GPS), are helping to prevent slash and burn agriculture, illegal hunting of animals, logging and artisanal mining among other threats. They also collect data on human activities and biodiversity in and around the forests to support conservation efforts.
Apart from providing patrol gear to the patrollers, CI Madagascar also pays them patrol stipends, thus creating income for rural communities while protecting important forests.
Forests in eastern Madagascar are critical for livelihoods of people and the country’s economy. They are also key in tackling climate change and sheltering important biodiversity.
The donations were provided under ‘the Sustainable Landscapes of Eastern Madagascar project’ supported by the Green Climate Fund.
