Many people probably think of the animated film when they hear „Madagascar.“ The reality, however, is far less cheerful. 75% of the 200,000 plant and animal species that call Madagascar home cannot be found anywhere else in the world, but more than 90% of Madagascar’s forests have been destroyed. This destruction has displaced countless animals from their natural habitats and led to the disappearance of complete mangrove estuaries, which in turn causes the exposed soil to sink into the ocean.

For many years, the only source of income for many Malagasy people was mangrove tree logging. This job is extremely taxing physically, and in many cases the workers never saw their promised payment. From an ecological view, this deforestation was a catastrophe; the deciduous trees on the west coast of the island were almost completely destroyed by slash-and-burn clearance. Mangrove forests are vital ecosystems: their dense roots serve as anchors for the soil, prevent erosion, and form a natural barrier between the harsh oceanic systems and the land. However, many Malagasy people live below the poverty line, trapped in debt, and are forced to take any opportunity to feed themselves and their families.

Our partner Eden Projects founded this project in 2007 to focus on the restoration of ecologically devastated mangrove estuaries in the northwest part of Madagascar. The project now plants approximately 1.4 million new trees per month in the country’s vast mangrove forests. What began in 2007 as a mangrove reforestation effort was expanded in 2012 to include domestic dry deciduous trees. The seeds are propagated in nurseries and cultivated by local workers. They are then planted in the hope of slowly restoring Madagascar’s dry deciduous forests. The locals are trained to become tree growers with nursery workers and managers trained to ensure the sustainability of the project. With this project, the Malagasy people involved are able to pay off their debts, feed their families, and provide their children with an education.