Ranomafana, Madagascar
Planning Stage
Ranomafana State Park
Walkway Updates
Ranomafana State Park, Madagascar
Threat/Opportunity:
The Ranomafana area of Madagascar has long been a key area of concern for environmentalists because of the rapid deforestation rate since colonial times. Starting in the late 1980s, USAID partnered with WWF and other groups on several conservation projects, but in 1990, Dr. Patricia Wright spearheaded an integrated conservation effort at Ranomafana to both protect unique endemic flora and fauna and address rural development, education and health services in the Park’s peripheral zone. Ranomafana was designated a National Park in 1991, and Dr. Wright, a MISSION GREEN Scientific Advisory Board Member and the world’s leading authority on lemurs, remains active as an advocate for a healthy Madagascar.
Goals:
- Work with Dr. Wright and her network of local and global partners to create a sustainable, economically sound business plan for healthy ecotourism in this remote island tropical rain forest.
- Build an aesthetic, state-of-the-art canopy walkway in Ranomafana State Park to attract both ecotourists and scientists.
- Preserve Madagascar’s remaining 5% of indigenous forest.
- Save lemurs – which are only found in Madagascar!
Madagascar: a Biodiversity "Hot Spot"
Ranomafana National Park is Madagascar’s premier nature reserve, and is comprised of 161 square miles of tropical rain forest located in the southeastern area of the country. Ranomafana means “hot water” in Malagasy, and the Park is an important example of cloud forest (characterized by low clouds at canopy level, and an abundance of moss cover on the ground and vegetation), with very high levels of biodiversity. In fact, 70% of Madagascar’s species are found nowhere else in the world, including its many lemur species (which live chiefly in trees and are nocturnal), the Milne-Edwards sifaka, and over 130 species of frogs! Many bird species, including ground rollers, blue vangas and brown mesites also make the Madagascar cloud forest their home.
What is a "Hot Spot"?
A “Hot Spot” is a forest habitat of high biodiversity and critical environmental importance. Unfortunately, many of these ecosystems are threatened by habitat destruction, climate change, and other factors. MISSION GREEN believes that these areas could significantly benefit from a canopy walkway conservation program.
MISSION GREEN Global "Hot Spots"
Canopy Walkways and Walkway Prospect Locations