The Community Conservation module encompasses the human dimension of conservation in the Sainte Luce region; focusing on environmental education with the children in Ambandrika village (one of the three hamlets in Sainte Luce) combined with the implementation of the fuel-efficient stove project and the planting and evaluation of the critically endangered palm, Dypsis saintlucei.
For conservation of natural resources to be successful it is important to take into consideration the human dimension, in particular the relationship between local livelihoods and the littoral forests. People living in Sainte Luce are highly dependent on the environment. Sainte Luce is a small coastal village and the main source of income for most families is from fishing. Previously, people supplemented their diet with bush meat from the forests, such as Eulemur collaris, but now rely on fish and their crops. Although people no longer capture bush meat, they still use the surrounding forest as a source of timber, firewood and medicinal plants. In summary, people living in Sainte Luce are highly dependent on the environment, from biotic factors (flora and fauna) to abiotic factors (for example, rainfall and soil conditions required for growing crops).
Environmental Education
Little or no environmental education is taught at the schools in Sainte Luce. Any environmental knowledge that individuals and communities acquire has been passed down through the generations. Azafady works to provide long-term environmental education for the Ambandrika school in the Sainte Luce region with volunteers preparing and presenting environmental education lessons assisted by Azafady staff and translators. We have worked with the parental association and the local school teacher to develop an environmental curriculum that will take place outside of normal school hours, with the lessons following a set scheme of work including stories, games and the lesson itself. The lessons are themed allowing children to build on their environmental knowledge with topics such as habitats, conservation, animal adaptations and compositing.
Fuel-efficient Stoves
Azafady has been involved in fuel-efficient stove projects for many years; building, evaluating and redesigning stoves in villages throughout the Anosy region. Over the years the stove design has evolved to find the best model that reduces fuel consumption and benefits both local needs and the environment. Fuel-efficient stoves reduce the amount of fuelwood needed by some 70%, thereby helping to protect the forests and to improve standards of health by reducing smoke inhalation. Volunteers will find themselves involved in sieving the raw materials, mixing the materials together, forming bricks and constructing the stoves for members of the local community who have shown an interest in trying a fuel-efficient stove.
Endangered Palms
Dypsis saintelucei and Beccariophoenix madagascariensis are regionally endemic palm species to south east Madagascar and are listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Although very little research has focused on these species, their IUCN status has been assigned due to low numbers and the continued loss of habitat. Locally, the palms are used as a source of food and for the construction of lobster traps.
Preliminary surveys of D. saintelucei in November 2007 revealed a population number of 50 adult individuals remaining in the wild. During surveys conducted between August 2008 and July 2010, previously unrecorded individuals were found yet many previously recorded individuals had died from natural causes or human use. The surveying and documentation of these species will focus on determining remaining population numbers and will aim to gain a better understanding of the Dypsis saintlucei life history. Planting of Dypsis saintlucei saplings will be conducted in one of the larger forest fragments and evaluations will ensue to establish the effectiveness of this strategy for conserving this endangered palm species.
Tree Planting
Tree planting is fun seasonal work which is conducted at one of Azafady's three "Reserve Foncière pour la Reboisement" sites (Land reserved for Reforestation) - or "RFRs". With more and more areas of forest under conservation status, there is a lack of available natural resources on which the surrounding local community depend. The RFRs provide an opportunity to recorrect the balance through the replanting of fast-growing native and exotic tree species important to local livelihoods for fuel and building, intermixed with fruit-bearing species to improve nutrition. Depending on what work is required at the time, volunteers may be involved with our community-managed nursery which is propagating the trees until they are ready for replanting and/or on-the-ground planting.
Typical Working Day
The daily schedule varies tremendously depending on project priorities at the time but a typical day in the field starts at 7.30am (though earlier in summer) with breakfast. Then you will head into the forest or local community to work on the module until just before midday. A typical activity is working with local households to promote the use of fuel-efficient stoves; you will be building the stoves from scratch with the help of the Azafady staff and the local community which will involve sieving and sorting materials and then the fun (and messy!) bit of construction.
After a two-hour break during the heat of the day for lunch to eat, nap, relax or sunbathe, as well as time to evaluate the morning's progress or have a Malagasy language lesson; the afternoon work session starts around 2pm. Afternoon sessions may be spent continuing with fuel-efficient stoves, preparing an environmental education lesson plan, running an education session, or going out into the forest to research the endangered palms.
Evenings are very sociable affairs and generally volunteers discuss their days amongst each other whilst having supper together around 6pm, and preparing for the next day. On some evenings you will find yourself doing nocturnal walks; walking through the littoral forests to get a glimpse of nocturnal species of lemurs (found by their eye-shine) or reptiles.
Sample Schedule
| Day | Morning | Afternoon | Evening |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arrival, setting up camp in town, banking and emailing | Introductory drinks | |
| 2 | Travel from Fort Dauphin to Sainte Luce and set up camp | Walk the three hamlets to the beach | |
| 3 | Orientation of education module | Monitoring of Dypsis saintlucei | |
| 4 | Lesson preparation | Lesson (5-9yrs) and evaluation of lesson | Nocturnal walk |
| 5 | Monitoring of Dypsis saintlucei | Meeting with parental association and teacher | |
| 6 | Tree nursery work - potpacking | Tree nursery work - potpacking | |
| 7 | OFF - sunrise at the beach | OFF - beach | OFF |
| 8 | Lesson preparation | Lesson (10-15yrs) and evaluation of lesson | |
| 9 | Fuel-efficient stove evaluation | Dypsis saintlucei and Beccariophoenix madagascariensis | Quiz night! |
| 10 | Habitat data | School garden (5-9yrs) | |
| 11 | Lesson preparation | Lesson (either age) and evaluation of lesson | Bush party! |
| 12 | School garden (10-15yrs) | OFF | Debrief and nocturnal walk |
| 13 | Travel from Sainte Luce back to Fort Dauphin | ||
| 14 | Trip to Nahampoana reserve | Leaving dinner | |
This is a sample schedule for volunteers who are joining for just one 2-week module. If you are joining for more than one module you may stay in rural Sainte Luce for up to 4 weeks at a time and visit Nahampoana nature reserve at the end of your last module. Also, please note this is an example itinerary and should be referred to as a guide only; projects vary, communities are different and every volunteer group is unique
