Basic HTML Version
Welcome to our second DLC SAVA Conservation newsletter. We hope to make this a
quarterly update, but make no guarantees! Even at this early stage of the project there is so
much happening that we don’t dare get too far behind on news about activities, lest we
never catch up with relaying that news.
You will notice that in this issue there isn’t much news about lemurs or other Malagasy
fauna. I hope that you don’t find that too disappointing, but one thing that we have learned
over the years is how much “conservation” is about people rather than the flora and fauna
that we are ironically striving to protect. When
Andrea and I lived in Madagascar, American
friends and colleagues had visions of us
spending most daytime hours in a Malagasy
forest, with lemurs cavorting overhead.
Although there was certainly a bit of that
(which was a really fun part), the majority of
our time was spent working with Malagasy
people at all levels, from local villagers, to
teachers, to government officials, to university students, to conservation professionals, etc.
It’s not very glamorous, and at times can be downright plodding and frustrating, but that is
what achieving a sustainable conservation impact requires. It is what occupies 90% of Erik’s
and Lanto’s time and efforts.
In this issue you will see an article about SAVA Conservation’s collaboration with our
American Embassy to establish and maintain a month-long mobile exhibit in Sambava. That
does not seem to have much to do with conservation, and has taken much time investment
by Erik and Lanto. However, the exhibit has been an excellent opportunity for Erik, Lanto and
the SAVA Conservation project to become better recognized in the community, which is
vitally important to our conservation efforts.
By working with people within the community and in some cases helping them to improve
their lives in various ways, one builds relationships which are so critical to establishing a
sustainable conservation project. Although we are certainly committed to long-term
involvement in the SAVA region, our primary goal must be to convince the human
population, at all levels, that conservation is important and in their interest, so that they will
not only join us in our efforts, but will also continue to carry the torch after the foreigners are
someday gone.
What is Conservation?
I NS I DE TH I S
I S SUE :
The Other Half of
the DLC SAVA
Conservation
Team
2
Rocket Stove
Training
3
Fish Farms as
Bushmeat Alter-
native
4
Boundary Demar-
cation
6
Mobile American
Cultural Center
in Sambava
7
English Classes in
Manantenina
8
Parasites in Wild
Silky Sifakas
9
SAVA Conserva-
tion School Visits
11
Duke
Connections
12
SAVA Conservation
S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 2
V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 2
S P EC I A L
PO I NTS OF
I NTE RE ST :
•
Lanto
Andrianandrasana
works with Erik to
lead SAVA
Conservation
forward
•
U.S. Embassy
exhibit in Sambava
•
Fish farming with
native freshwater
species coming to
the Marojejy region
•
Parasites found in
wild silky sifakas
D U K E
L E M U R
C E N T E R
Helmet Vanga feeding young.
(Photo by Éric Mathieu,