UNESCO World Heritage Tsingy de Bemaraha: Better Protection through Local Committees

The Tsingy de Bemaraha nature reserve is located in the west of Madagascar and covers 152.000ha. The World Heritage Site offers a great variety of geomorphological structures. It is a veritable cathedral of limestone and forms one of the most spectacular natural landscapes on the island and in the world. The western part of the plateau is formed by a very disected relief, largely covered by a dense, dry deciduous forest. In its eastern part, the forest is interspersed with savannahs. Due to its richness in animal and plant species, Tsingy de Bemaraha is considered to be a centre of endemism.

Restrictions due to the pandemic

The COVID-19-Pandemic is having a wide range of economic and social impacts in Madagascar, including the protection of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The social impact as a whole cannot yet be predicted. Food shortages and poverty will continue to increase in rural areas.

At the same time, a massive increase in fires has been recorded in recent months. By mid-May, the number of fires detected by satellite exceeded the total number of cases documented in 2019. The resulting damage on site is massive: 969 hectares of savannah have burned down, and cases of illegal logging are increasing.

The National Park is also one of the most visited places in Madagascar by international tourists. The closure of the park for tourism has a negative impact on the financial resources for the sites management.

Remedy through education and technical equipment

The project, funded by the German Commission for UNESCO, strengthened the resilience of both the local population and the Natural Heritage site against wildfires and the consequences of the COVID-19-Pandemic. To this end, Madagascar National Parks developed an inclusive fire management strategy equally involving local stakeholders, communities, local authorities and the site management.

For a better monitoring and early detection of potential fires, Madagascar National Parks also purchased GPS devices and smartphones. Park staff were equipped with water bags and trained in wildfire suppression. Local residents were also integrated into firefighting efforts as part of education campaigns. About a hundred families were empowered to be self-sustaining during the pandemic through the provision of chickens, corn seed and rice bran.