Sustainable valorisation of natural resources in the Protected Areas of Sainte-Marie island

Sainte-Marie is a small island located off the eastern coast of Madagascar, in the Analanjirofo region. It is managed as an urban commune within a district. Bordered by beaches and lagoons, the island covers an area of 200 km² and has a population of around 18,000 inhabitants.

Three forest massifs, covering a total area of around 1,000 hectares, are present on the island. They are subject to frequent land clearing for cultivation and illegal logging.

Thus, despite the significant ecological services provided by these forest massifs, particularly in terms of hydrological regulation, no form of preservation or sustainable valorisation is currently implemented on Sainte-Marie. Tourism operators organise visits to these forest areas, but no mechanism for redistributing benefits to local populations is currently in place. Furthermore, local populations’ use and valorisation of natural resources are not currently sustainable, and are causing harm to biodiversity and ecosystems.