Tsara Kobaby

Sainte-Marie Island, located in the north-east of Madagascar, is home to exceptional marine and terrestrial biodiversity. It is classified as a Key Biodiversity Area and has been designated since 2008 as a conservation priority by the Malagasy government. The island contains approximately 4,000 hectares of coastal rainforest, where 388 plant species have been recorded – 57 of which are threatened and listed on the IUCN Red List. These ecosystems also provide habitat for at least 104 animal species, including 15 classified as threatened.

This project aims to create a protected area on Sainte-Marie Island to safeguard its biodiversity. In response to deforestation and human pressures threatening these ecosystems, the project adopts a holistic approach that reconciles conservation with economic development and local democracy. It is structured around three key phases:

- Defining a shared governance framework for the protected area, involving all local stakeholders. This will be based on a biodiversity assessment, ecosystem mapping, an evaluation of environmental impacts, and capacity building for the local association PCADDISM (Consultation and support platform for the sustainable development of Sainte-Marie Island), which will become a future co-manager of the area.

- Formalising the protection of the area through legal recognition and participatory zoning. Active management will be implemented, including community surveillance patrols, ecological restoration activities, and rigorous environmental monitoring.

- Strengthening the socio-economic resilience of populations affected by restrictions linked to the protected area, through the identification and support of sustainable value chains. Tailored support will also be provided to promote the economic inclusion of local communities, via training programmes and technical assistance for income-generating activities.