Protecting Threatened Lemur Habitat in Madagascar

"We no longer call Madagascar the Green Island but the Red Island." In the video “Madagascar on Fire,” this powerful statement captures the heartbreaking reality of deforestation and fires that have devastated Madagascar's landscape. Once vibrant and rich with greenery, the island is now being stripped away at an alarming rate, leaving behind arid land and barren red soil.

 At the heart of SEED’s work are two key projects: Project Ala, which combats deforestation by protecting precious forests and promoting sustainable land use, and Sekoly Maintso, which focuses on planting trees to offset carbon emissions from essential community projects like building schools and installing solar energy. Together, these initiatives are helping drive a greener, more sustainable Madagascar.

 Recently after hiking three hours to Esinda (SEED’s most remote project site), SEED staff held conversations with the community members around the harmful impacts of bushfires and explored sustainable alternatives.

 The community shared their experiences on fire-based land management, and together with SEED introduced and discussed agroecological options like composting, crop association, and rotational farming. These practices, chosen by the community, are designed to protect the land and improve its long-term fertility.

 Following these discussions, the reforestation team held a three-day intensive worm composting training with local agricultural specialist and is now set to turn the Ala nursery in Sainte Luce into a hub for sustainable soil production.

 In the coming months this brand-new composting system will be used to produce nutrient-dense compost rich in, nitrogen and phosphorus. This eco-friendly method will not only boost seedling growth and increase soil resilience, but it will also contribute to the long-term health of the reforestation corridors.

 This is another step towards healthier forests in Madagascar’s southeast. Every tree planted and every bit of support from you makes a difference.

 Thank you for supporting project Ala!

SEED’s project to conserve lemur habitats in the Sainte Luce littoral forest (SLLF) will soon enter its sixth year. The project aims to improve the environment for endangered lemur species by protecting the existing forest areas and increasing the number of connections – or ‘corridors’ – between them by reforestation and thus expanding the available habitat. Madagascar is one of the most biodiverse places on the planet and littoral forests are among its most threatened ecosystems – a fact which has led to lemurs being one of the world’s most endangered species.

Much progress has been made in the five years so far, and many things have been learned in partnership with local communities. Five forest corridors have been established to date. Improved techniques to nurture tree seedlings have been found. In coordination with villages in and around SLLF better fire prevention and management strategies have been devised. Further, improved sustainable forest management techniques have been implemented to increase the economic security of those whose livelihoods depend on the forest’s resources. Five years of data have been gathered on the species and populations of fauna residing within the area, contributing to international knowledge on biodiversity and reforestation techniques. SEED has identified areas of the forest that are critical to the preservation of specific species of lemur which improves SEED’s ability to campaign for the continued protected status of SLLF.

Significant challenges remain: threats of deforestation from economic pressures and climate change leading to hotter and drier seasons which increases the risk of forest fires. As the project to conserve SLLF as a vital habitat for lemurs continues into its sixth year, we remain enormously grateful to all donors and supporters who make the project possible.