The signing of the decree establishing temporary protection for the new Sorkay Marine and Terrestrial Protected Area marks a major step forward in safeguarding the natural resources of Sainte-Marie Island in Madagascar. This process is led by Gret together with the Plateforme de concertation et d’appui au développement durable de l’île de Sainte-Marie (PCADDISM - Platform for dialogue and support for the sustainable development of Sainte-Marie Island).
This signature is the culmination of a long public consultation process launched in 2018, aimed at strengthening community governance of natural resources and ensuring the long-term preservation of the island’s marine and terrestrial ecosystems. The actions carried out have resulted in local, regional, and national approval of the "Comprehensive Management Framework", demonstrating stakeholder support for this environmental protection initiative.
Highly anticipated by the local population, this progress provides an official framework for the traditional rules already applied by communities to sustainably protect and manage natural resources. "This temporary protection decree finally allows the community to sustainably manage its natural resources through the dina be[1], in order to preserve ecosystem balance for future generations," explains Clodio Travouck, environmental supervisor at Gret and a native of Sainte-Marie.
PCADDISM will play a central role in the community management of the protected area. Its implementation will follow a co-management approach alongside the Malagasy administration. For Rakotovao Mahandry, head of the Tsara Kobaby project at Gret: "Temporary protection is extremely important, as it validates the management methods and rules for natural resources proposed by local communities. It strengthens environmental protection and lays the foundations for sustainable, community-led management."
The temporary protection decree grants the promoter a two-year period to secure the definitive protection of the 265,000 hectares covered by the Sorkay Marine and Terrestrial Protected Area.
[1] Customary rules governing communal life, linking people, ancestors, and nature.
