Tackling Uptick in Illegal Mining in Madagascar’s Critical Forest Corridors During COVID-19 Lockdown
Between April and June, joint teams from Madagascar’s Decentralized Services of the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (MEDD), Conservation International (CI)-Madagascar and local communities successfully stopped incidents of illegal mining and logging within the critical forest corridors of Ambositra-Vondrozo (COFAV) and in Ankeniheny- Zahamena (CAZ).
This comes as protected areas in the country register a notable uptick in illegal activities following the scaling down of forest patrols and monitoring due to COVID-19 movement restrictions in the country. Drastic reductions in household incomes due to the pandemic have also pushed more people to target resources within protected areas for survival.
In COFAV, a joint mission that took place between June 11–20 successfully removed 173 people that were destroying parts of the forests and illegally mining gold at Ivongo Rural Commune within the protected area. The offenders, who had erected a camp of 104 temporary structures, had dug 112 holes and cleared trees in the area. The patrol mission that included the Regional Directorate of Environment and Sustainable Development (DREDD) of Ihorombe, the Chief of Ivohibe District and local communities also destroyed the camp and put an end to the illegal activities in the area.
In CAZ, patrol work between April 10 and May 9 managed to locate people who had encroached the forests and were illegally mining amethyst, a semiprecious stone often used in jewelry. Their activities had destroyed swathes of forest. The patrol team, led by MEDD’s Regional Directorate, local authorities and local communities managed to eject the offenders from the forest while 12 were taken to court in Toamasina. The team also placed warning signs at the boundaries of the protected area in Antenina forest within CAZ.
“Joint efforts at different levels are critical to support the MEDD in forest law enforcement against illegal activities and to protect the important forest corridor. We are continuing our support to MEDD Decentralized services and other stakeholders to scale up monitoring of the forest corridor and to minimize future violations,” said Zo Lalaina Rakotobe, Chief of Party of Sustainable Landscape in the Eastern of Madagascar Project, CI Madagascar.
The missions to CAZ and COFAV were conducted while observing the necessary COVID-19 precautions including wearing protective equipment and sanitizing hands.
Covering 683.808 hectares, the CAZ and COFAV forest corridors are among CI’s priority tropical forests in Africa that the non-profit is working to protect to secure their huge benefit in climate regulation, provision of fresh water and preservation of unique biodiversity. Currently, CAZ and COFAV are part of the “Sustainable Landscape in the Eastern of Madagascar” project that seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and improve resiliency of vulnerable farmers living in the peripheral areas of these two forest corridors. The project is implemented by CI-Madagascar and MEDD with support of the Green Climate Fund.
Photo credits: ©Lovasoa Rakotomalala and ©Matana Gabriel Fitahiantsoa
