Our multi-year project in CAZ West, Madagascar, made possible thanks to the support of The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF), involves a range of activities to encompass the requirements and skill sets in terms of gender and age for the various groups within the local communities. We aim to ensure the project is as inclusive as possible, whilst recognising that some tasks, such as lemur patrollers, will mainly be of interest to one section of society.

Local lemur patrollers

Under their respective management plans, each of the 5 local community associations (VOIs) involved with the project is responsible for a protected zone in the area they manage. For this project, ten men have been employed in the role of lemur patrollers to work predominantly within these areas. The men are trained and equipped with GPS units and digital cameras, and they are working in pairs four days each week throughout the 36-month project period. 

The work of the patrollers is diverse, and they have an important role to play in the sustainable management of the natural resources on which their communities depend.

Ecological monitoring 

Local patroller monitoring wildlife  © The Aspinall Foundation Madagascar

Ecological monitoring of species present and the habitat gives us crucial information on the health of the ecosystem. In addition to the direct observation, patrollers also deploy and retrieve data from camera traps.  The monitoring process is not restricted to any particular species or habitat, but for this project we have a particular focus on four Critically Endangered lemur species, the greater bamboo lemur, the black-and white ruffed lemur, the indri and the diademed sifaka. The patrol teams spend 2 days a week with a particular focus on ecological monitoring.

Local patrollers recording observations © The Aspinall Foundation Madagascar

The patrollers regularly report on their observations, which helps us study the ecology of each protected zone. The data they collect provides valuable knowledge to be used in the conservation of wildlife and habitats at the different sites. On an immediate level, it identifies areas of concern where action needs to be taken to prevent habitat or diversity loss. In the medium term, it enables us to develop more effective projects based on a specific and solid understanding of the project site. In the longer term, it enables us to compare results over time, helping us to identify trends and to gauge the potential effectiveness of previous projects.

Example of data collected by rangers © The Aspinall Foundation, Madagascar

Preventing/responding to illegal activities 

As hunting, land clearing etc. are not permitted in the protected zones, patrollers record all signs of illegal or unapproved activities as well as areas where the habitat has been damaged or is giving cause for concern. The patrol teams spend 2 days a week with a particular focus on illegal activities. In addition to recording the location and type of activity observed, where the perpetrators are present the patrol will carry out awareness-raising to advise the individuals concerned that their actions are not permitted in the area, and they will be asked to provide their details. Where perpetrators are known they will be reported to the VOI and relevant officials as necessary.

Local patrollers identify areas of damaged forest © The Aspinall Foundation Madagascar

Land clearance is one of the main threats to the protected zones. Trees are cut down for illegal logging, and once the usable timber has been taken away, the remaining plant material is removed so that the cleared land can be used for agriculture.

Our Country Director, Maholy Ravaloharimanitra intervenes to prevent illegal use of fire © The Aspinall Foundation Madagascar

Fire is a major cause of damage. It can be caused by environmental conditions,  for example, during the dry season with strong winds and high temperatures that create a highly flammable environment, but in most cases it is caused by human activities. Slash-and-burn agriculture, where forests are cut down and burned to clear land for farming, is a significant contributor. The Malagasy people have traditionally used fire to clear forests for agricultural crops and to rejuvenate pastures for cattle. The production of charcoal, a commonly used cooking fuel, can be another cause. Our team monitor and act on all instances of fire observed during patrols, and it is a core element of community awareness-raising sessions.

Local patrollers record damage to bamboo © The Aspinall Foundation Madagascar 

The rural communities of Madagascar rely heavily on the use of natural resources. For example, bamboo is a very versatile material that can be used for a multitude of construction purposes. It can also be used in agriculture to create irrigation systems and as a craft material for making baskets. However, it is not permitted to use the bamboo in protected zones under the management authority of each VOI, and it is a valuable habitat for wildlife like bamboo lemurs. 

Supporting Forest Restoration

Patrollers play a significant role in forest restoration activities as they collect saplings for the community tree nurseries to be used for restoring areas of degraded forest. They also monitor areas of forest where restoration has already taken place, recording the survival rate of saplings and identifying dead plants that need to be replaced.  

Many of the tree seedlings grown at the community tree nurseries have been collected by the lemur patrollers  © The Aspinall Foundation Madagascar

Supporting communities to improve agricultural results

Largely through the activities of the lemur patrollers, our project reinforces the protections that are already in place to protect vital habitats and the dependent wildlife. This does restrict access, and activities, in certain areas under the management of each VOI. However, the customary rights of the local people are also protected through the zoning of areas that can be used for agriculture and income generation, and our project has a strong focus on supporting the local people to use these areas to achieve the best results. One route to achieving this is through agroforestry and through this project we have nearly 240 community members participating in the training and practical sessions.

Transplanted coffee sapling  © The Aspinall Foundation Madagascar

Agroforestry is a form of land management that works on the basis of growing both trees and agricultural crops on the same piece of land. Combining the right plants and using sustainable farming techniques, such as organic composting, can increase productivity and diversify the produce grown. 

For this project, we are combining native trees, many with beneficial attributes such as medicinal qualities, with fruit trees to diversify produce, and income-generating crops such as coffee. The result will be improved yields without clearing additional land; increased opportunities for income; improved diets for the local communities; and better resilience against the impacts of climate change.


Our team conduct regular follow-up sessions with each of the communities participating in the project © The Aspinall Foundation Madagascar

Changes in long-held agricultural practices are not immediate, and it can take several growing seasons before the results prove the value of the systems. Training and follow-up sessions by our team are scheduled to take place at regular intervals throughout this 36-month project. We are just over halfway through the 3 years, and we hope that by the time it ends, the communities that have taken part will have sufficient confidence in the new methods to keep the practice ongoing beyond the close of the project.

The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund is a joint initiative of l’Agence Française de Développement, Conservation International, the European Union, the Global Environment Facility, the Government of Japan and the World Bank. A fundamental goal is to ensure civil society is engaged in biodiversity conservation.