Andriantantely

BCM's latest project focuses on the lowland rainforest of Andriantantely, located in the Brickaville district, spanning the rural communes of Fetraomby, Ambohimarina, and Lohariandava, which administer the surrounding villages and scattered settlements. Covering an area of 4000 hectares, this forest forms a peripheral block in the southeast of the Ankeniheny-Zahamena Corridor (CAZ), to which it belongs. Unlike BCM's previous initiatives such as Beanka, Sahafina, and Besely, Andriantantely is an extension of the CAZ, already promoted by Conservation International (CI).

We were drawn to this site by a series of compelling factors and realities:

Although Andriantantely is only 25 km from Sahafina, accessing it requires a full day on a motorized canoe followed by a strenuous six-hour hike uphill the next day, making interventions difficult and costly. This likely explains the lack of permanent structures and forest administration controls on site.

The disruptions caused by restrictions and crises related to COVID-19 from 2020 onwards have inevitably increased anthropogenic pressures, causing significant damage as reported by satellite observations and noted by BCM agents during their visit, who were already committed to preserving this habitat.
Scientific reports from 1998 and 1999, following a biological inventory of Andriantantely, clearly highlighted the urgent need for conservation due to its significant and abundant biodiversity. Indeed, Andriantantely, located at altitudes between 400 and 750 meters with diverse vegetation types, is home to 10 lemur species, including Propithecus diadema, Indri indri, Microcebus lehilahytsara, and Hapalemur griseus. It also hosts nearly 90 bird species, 64 of which are resident, 30 reptile species, and 42 amphibian species. Notably, it is the only place in Madagascar with 12 species of ebony (Diospyros spp).

This exceptional richness faces various anthropogenic pressures (slash-and-burn agriculture, selective logging and wood theft, lemur hunting), placing most of these species at critical risk of extinction and potentially leading to habitat loss.

Given these circumstances and the findings from our visits, it became clear that BCM needed to take immediate and sustained action to address the aforementioned threats. This involves bringing together all stakeholders related to Andriantantely—namely, the supervising ministry, CI (the site's promoter), and ASPINALL—to coordinate BCM's conservation efforts in complementarity with each entity's activities.

Initially, BCM will establish an on-site coordination office to implement its interventions, focusing on:

Setting up guard posts and a network of patrolling guards to ensure surveillance and support law enforcement (including organising mixed and impromptu patrols with local and regional government authorities).
Developing and maintaining nurseries in areas where plant production is needed to restore clearings caused by human activities and reforest areas beneficial to the communities.
Conducting surveys among local communities to identify their needs and sources of pressure, thereby determining priority projects that align with habitat preservation and ensure its integrity.