The goal of all our forest conservation projects is to empower indigenous communities through environmental preservation and regeneration. This means first restoring the land back to health so that it can provide abundantly for all who rely on it. Then when that happens, the land becomes a permanent and renewable resource to nourish and support the entire community – in perpetuity!

Click on the video to take in the whole site from atop a Fire Watch Tower.

The work of the team on the ground to restore mangrove inlets at Antsanitia is currently on track this year to plant over 60,000 mangroves. While this is a great source of pride for everyone involved— it begs the need for a much more holistic approach if it is to provide sustainable enrichment for all aspects of the natural ecosystem. So, let’s meet the forest guardians, the tree nursery and lemurs that your environmental donations are also supporting in Antsanitia!

Planting propagules may be the easy part of the comprehensive efforts at a forest conservation project: What’s an even greater challenge is the guarding and protection of seedlings until they reach maturity and become a healthy forest canopy. That’s why our project has 16 security leads, guards, and caretakers to monitor and protect the forest sites from illegal harvesting.

This critical human-protection element is strengthened by the construction of fire-watch towers, fire-lane upkeep, and regular clearing of foliage debris — all, essential practices to ensure long-term sustainability. Take a look at our video interview. It offers several insights into how our conservation roles, funded by your environmental donations, provide rewarding employment for individuals (a recent graduate, in Milatumbo’s case) who are well-versed and deeply invested in the value of restoration and conservation.

You’re looking at a productive seedling nursery that was once capable of producing over 250,000 trees a year! The local Community Forest Association (VOI Taratra — which we support) had been restoring this area since 2012, but lost its funding during the global pandemic, and the nursery had suffered the results until recently.

Although we are primarily focused on restoring mangrove systems, a percentage of all funding from our environmental donations goes to supporting the surrounding terrestrial ecosystems as well. Fortunately, this investment includes bringing the nursery back to life. Indeed, ahead of the 2024–2025 planting season, the VOI successfully planted 7,100 trees from within the nursery — a promising start to this next restoration phase.

In contrast to mangrove planting, which continues year-round, terrestrial seedling production only happens in the middle of the year. This means the seedlings that we are planting with your help right now will be ready to transplant into the main forest at the onset of the rainy season in early 2026.

In the city of Mahajanga, most green areas with tree canopies have been felled to make way for new housing projects, and/or clear-cut for farm use. Therefore, most people in the city have never even experienced a forest firsthand or been able to appreciate its many wonders! This lack of exposure, coupled with lack of education on forests’ critical environmental role, are the two big reasons why conservation and restoration are such a challenge.

Since its founding in 2021, Mahajanga’s Tahiriniala Nature Center has served as a vital refuge for the threatened flora and fauna of Madagascar. It has become a natural showcase for the wide biodiversity of the island and a valuable research hub for local university students. In addition, it functions as an animal rescue and rehabilitation site that is now home to a variety of endemic species. These include brown lemurs, snakes, chameleons, tortoises, and numerous birds like the striking Malachite Kingfisher. The funding — which you and we create together — goes directly to the Center’s upkeep, veterinarian bills, animal food, and shelter.