Photo 2 5.51” x 10.31”

Position x: 8.53”, y: .18”

Photo 1 4.2” x 10.31”

Position x: 4.36”, y: .18”

Corridor Restoration and Carbon Conservation in Madagascar

Léon Rajaobelina

Regional Vice-President, Madagascar Program

•  The new System of Protected Areas aims to include 6 million hectares of terrestrial and freshwater habitats by 2012

Carbon projects: •  Three large forest corridor protected areas have been designed as “avoided deforestation” carbon projects

•  One Clean Development Mechanism eligible afforestation/restoration project

New protected Areas and Forest Carbon Projects

Makira 372,000 ha

(MEF & WCS)

Ankeniheny-Zahamena Corridor (CAZ)

381,000 ha (MEF & CI)

Ambositra-Vondrozo Corridor (COFAV)

290,000 ha (MEF & CI)

Corridor restoration 1100 ha (TAMS)

(MEF, CI, BioCF)

Ambositra-Vondrozo Forest Corridor (COFAV) : A New Protected Area with multiple benefits

Health security

Food security

Species value

Fresh water

Carbon storage

Hydro-electric energy

Cultural services

Photo 1 4.2” x 10.31”

Position x: 8.74”, y: .18”

Strategy for reducing deforestation in COFAV

Forest  Carbon  Project  Design

New    Protected  area  in  

Ambositra-­‐  Vondrozo  Corridor

Management  structure  to  coordinate  

forest  protec>on  ac>vi>es

Capacity  building,  technical  

assistance  and  communica>on

Community  small  grants  

Conserva)on  agreements  with  communi)es  in  the  corridor  

Photo 1 4.2” x 10.31”

Position x: 8.74”, y: .18”

•  Community groups living around the corridor participate in the corridor management and benefit through:

•  Representation in the governance structure of the protected area

•  Direct Conservation agreements that provide payment for participation in conservation activities

•  Community Small Grants Program

Community Participation and Benefits

Restoration of the Mantadia-Andasibe Forest Corridor •  1100 hectares planted with 120 native species (>1.1 million trees) •  Project designed according to Clean Development Mechanism standards •  The corridor will re-establish links between isolated protected areas and other forest fragments

Community benefits: •  Direct employment during investment stage (>700 people) •  Land tenure for project participants •  Sustainable Livelihood Activities for project participants •  Future carbon revenues for project participants

Pale green: restoration area Dark green: Existing forest Red line: Protected Area boundaries Yellow line: Project Area boundaries

Photo 1 4.2” x 10.31”

Position x: 8.74”, y: .18”

•  Protected Areas are a tried-and-tested way of reducing deforestation •  Protected Areas equivalent to IUCN category VI (Natural Resource Reserves) provide opportunity for strong community participation linked to carbon revenue benefits •  New protected areas in Madagascar with community involvement are remaining relatively untouched despite the current political/social issues •  Challenges for protected area management and REDD+ implementation at landscape scales are almost identical. Local level capacity building is essential to both. •  Forest restoration can be done, but is technically challenging and much more expensive than stopping deforestation in the first place.

Some lessons…