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P A G E 2
“Our sincere hope is
that after 20 years of
DLC conservation
work in the SAVA
region, we too can
claim an important
environmental impact
in that unique and
biologically important
area of Madagascar.”
View from Camp 3
(Photo by Inaki Relanzon)
A new DLC conservation initiative!
Continued
important, but the deepest value of reforestaƟon is as a teaching tool to change
mentaliƟes about forests, and to pass along knowledge on wise management of
forest resources. Third, we will also support and conduct research missions in the
liƩle known vast wilderness areas of the region. You will read about one such
mission in this newsleƩer. There is sƟll so much to learn from the forests of the
SAVA region. On a fourth front, we will be contribuƟng to direct protecƟon of the
region’s official protected areas by supporƟng the efforts of the Madagascar
NaƟonal Parks (MNP) department in various ways. For example, we are presently
looking at direct support of a neglected village guard system that helps to secure
remote park boundaries. These are a few of our iniƟal project components, which
we expect will in Ɵme expand and diversify.
The SAVA ConservaƟon project will be overseen by myself, and managed on the ground
by Dr. Erik Patel, (see arƟcle this newsleƩer) who already has years of experience working in
the region. Erik is joined by his long Ɵme capable colleague, Lanto Andrianandrasana. That
rounds out the project’s small team of permanent staff.
Most of you are familiar with DLC’s 20+ year affiliaƟon with the MFG conservaƟon
consorƟum, with whom Andrea and I worked for so many years. With a new conservaƟon
project on our plate, will we at DLC conƟnue our parƟcipaƟon in that consorƟum? The
answer is a resounding YES! This precedent of duel involvement in Madagascar is actually
already set by a few MFG members such as Zurich Zoo (also works in the Masoala area), and
Missouri Botanical Garden (supports a wide range of research and conservaƟon acƟviƟes in
Madagascar). We are a founding and managing member of MFG, and plan to conƟnue our
support of and parƟcipaƟon in this effecƟve organizaƟon. Long term MFG projects at Ivoloina
and Betampona have been very successful in bringing a conservaƟon consciousness to the
Tamatave region of eastern Madagascar, and DLC has been an integral part of that mission.
Our sincere hope is that aŌer 20 years of DLC conservaƟon work in the SAVA region, we too
can claim an important environmental impact in that unique and biologically important area
of Madagascar. Let the SAVA ConservaƟon iniƟaƟve begin!
S A V A C O N S E R V A T I O N
V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 1
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