OVERVIEW PRESENTATION TO PLENARY CBC Madagascar Corridors workshop, Santarem, 6 December 2004

OVERVIEW OF THE REGIONAL CONTEXT The most remarkable and important concentration of biological diversity in the world: in less than 500k km 2 –8 endemic plant families and more than 12,000 endemic plant species –The most important priority in the world for primate conservation, with 5 endemic families, and 48 species –5 endemic bird families, 110 species –346 species of reptile and 154 of amphibian, almost all endemic –Two families and 95 species of endemic freshwater fish

NationalTotal Threatened sp Fish 53 Birds 27 Amphibians 52 Mammals 50 Reptiles 18 Plants 160 IUCN Threatened Species (Cr,Vu, and En)

National Context Durban Vision- triple the protected areas by 2008 Reorientation of focus of forest management from exploitation to conservation, based on ecosystem service values Recent decrees suspending logging and mining in forest areas National forest zoning plan underway to implement the Durban Vision – the Mantadia- Zahamena corridor is a key piece of this

The Durban Vision - triple the protected areas of Madagascar President Marc Ravalomanana: We can no longer afford to let the forest go up in smoke or let our many lakes, marshes and wetlands be destroyed, nor can we unwisely exhaust our marine resources. I would like to inform you of our decision to increase the protected areas from 1.7 million hectares to 6 million hectares over the next five years …through strengthening of the present national network and implementation of a mechanism for the establishment of new Conservation Sites.

New Conservation Sites Multiple-use areas managed by a variety of actors from national government, local government and NGOs through local communities. Up to 75% of each Conservation Site will allow sustainable use of biodiversity. At least 25% of each site is a strict conservation zone Three basic management rules- no commercial logging, no mining and no deforestation

IDENTIFICATION OF POTENTIAL CORRIDOR Priority setting: -Forest Zoning (DGEF) -PlanGrap (ANGAP) -Priority-setting workshop 1995 (PRISMA) -IBAs (BIRDLIFE) -Total biodiversity coverage 2001 (CI) -Priority setting of endemic plant families (MBG) Bio-ecological criteria

MAP OF TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS

Compiling Existing Data- Gap analysis of threatened species

ZAHAMENA-MANTADIA CORRIDOR

Surface area: 540,000 ha Altitude m Climate: Tropical humid Rainfall: ~ mm/an Population: 1,300,000 inhabitants ~ 40-50% of Madagascar biodiversity §Low elevation forest (<800 m) presents the highest richness in term of biodiversity (flora, reptiles, amphibians, birds) §Mid elevation forest ( m) highest richness in lemurs §High elevation forest ( m) highest richness in small mammals §Threatened birds and fishes, locally endemics inhabit rivers §Deforestation rate: 0.7% ZAHAMENA-MANTADIA

Threatened species in Zahamena -Mantadia §~ 70% of Indri indri (Babakoto) population §~80% of Propithecus diadema diadema (Sifaka) population §Probably 70% of Varecia variegata variegata population §At least 50% of Eutriorchis astur population §Endemic species in Zahamena- Mantadia: Mantella aurantiaca; Scaphiophryne boribory; Paroedura masobe Tyto soumagnei Cryptoprocta ferox Indri indri Mantella aurantiaca

Prunus africana Cyathea coursii Beccariophoenix madagascariensis Ravenea louvelii

Corridor outcome Viable populations of threatened species and restricted range species of Zahamena-Mantadia corridor are conserved through sustainable funding and efficient management of 400,000ha of protected areas (including conservation sites) Conservation actions contribute to the improvement of human well being.

Issues to resolve at the corridor level The basic rules of management for the corridor (no logging, mining or deforestation) give us a basis for conservation Where should these rules be applied?. What supplementary rules are necessary, to be applied where, in order to conserve the important biodiversity of the corridor?

KBA WITH CRITICAL SPECIES IN ZAHAMENA-MANTADIA

KBA WITH ENDANGERED SPECIES IN ZAHAMENA-MANTADIA

KBA WITH VULNERABLE SPECIES IN ZAHAMENA-MANTADIA

BROAD-SCALE ECOLOGICAL PROCESSES THAT NEED TO BE MAINTAINED Soil stabilization Connectivity to maintain exchange of biodiversity Control of hydrological functions Carbon storage and sequestration Pollination Food production others

Limite proposé du site de conservation Zone prioritaire de conservation Concession forestière Proposal for limits of conservation site and core conservation zone

SIGNIFICANT THREATS AT CORRIDOR SCALE Slash and burn cultivation Logging Mining Wild fire

Deforestation  Between 1974 and 1994: around 90% of forest <800 m are lost  Between : m – 17.8% of the remaining forest are lost m – 5% m - <1%

WHO ARE THE ACTORS? Regional Development Committees composed by:  Authorities at provincial, regional and local level  Environment, Water and Forest departments  Local NGOs  Private sector Platform of coordination Heads of Regions Local communities and villager associations

Intervention methods Integration of biodiversity conservation scenarios into communal, regional and provincial development plans Support to partners in biodiversity conservation- grants to planning and implementing organizations, studies of threatened species, In part through partnership with USAID regional alliance, support in acquiring development aid in key areas- NGO capacity development, proposal development Support to urgent development activities