Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Parks & Reserves
A Brief History
Although protected areas in Madagascar have existed since the 1950s, the environmental
movement began in earnest in 1985 with an international conference of scientists, funding
organisations and Malagasy government officials. Biologists had long known that the coun-
try was an oasis of amazing creatures and plants, but the clear felling and burning of forests
all over the island were threatening these treasures. Concerned international donors and the
Malagasy government joined together to plan a major conservation programme.
Lords and Lemurs , by Alison Jolly, is a history of the Réserve Privée de
Berenty that skilfully weaves together the stories of the spiny desert
Tandroy people, three generations of French plantation owners, lemurs
and lemur-watchers.
By1989MadagascarhadanationalEnvironmentalActionPlan,whichofferedablueprint
for biodiversity action for the next 15 years. The first step was to create a national park sys-
tem, called the Association Nationale pour la Gestion des Aires Protégées (Angap; National
Association for the Management of Protected Areas), and then set Angap to work on creat-
ing new parks and training staff. The last phase of the program, with started in earnest in the
naughts, aimed to develop sustainable tourism in the country's protected areas.
Although not perfect, great strides have been achieved in the country's protected areas
since 1985: Angap changed its name to Madagascar National Parks (MNP; www.pacs-
madagascar.com ) in 2009, and there are now 19 national parks, 23 special reserves and five
strict natural reserves, with more in the pipeline.
NATIONAL PARK ADMISSION FEES
1 DAY (AR) 2 DAYS (AR) 3 DAYS (AR) 4 DAYS (AR)
Category A 25,000
37,000
40,000
50,000
Category B 10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
Search WWH ::




Custom Search