POINTE A LARREE
Producing Green charcoal from Melaleuca: transforming a problem into a benefit
“Controlling invasive alien trees to support conservation and improve livelihoods”
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Summary
Several invasive alien species impose significant threats to Malagasy biodiversity and rural economy. At Pointe à Larrée, the invasive Melaleuca quinquenervia outcompetes native plant species and degrades ecosystems. Within the protected area, we will control Melaleuca by transforming its wood into charcoal as a new revenue stream for charcoal producers thereby assisting natural regeneration of native species. The sale will be ensured by local cooperative with technical support from partners including capacity building and elaboration global management strategy.
PARTNERS
- Missouri Botanical Garden (Lead partner)
- Regional Direction of Environment and Sustainable Development
- Regional Direction of Industrialization, Trade and Consumption
- Federation Lovasoa (grouping of all based communities, forest managers who have management transfer contracts with the forest administration).
EXPECTED OUTCOME OF PROJECT
A self-sustaining approach for controlling IAS is demonstrated that reduces the threat of Melaleuca at Pointe à Larrée PA while providing fuel-wood and income for local people.
STRATEGY
To achieve these objectives, our strategy includes :
- Valorizing regional skills and know-how by engaging private and state technical partners.
- Restructuring and formalizing the Cooperative (Samy Antsika) to be correspond to the requirements of as business operating in “green” charcoal
- Strengthening skills of Cooperative’s members by providing thematic training related to management and governance
- Providing materials and infrastructure to allow the Cooperative to operate efficiently;
- Develop a business plan as an operational document describing the marketing strategy, commercial procedures and the Cooperative’s manual of procedures
- Optimize the yield and quality of the green charcoal by defining and implementing best practice (through national and international exchanges);
- Support local communities and Cooperative members to strengthen their actions in favor of forest protection such as forest patrols, reforestation, forest restoration
- Disseminate the project's findings to other land managers.
BENEFICIARIES
Several categories of people benefit from this project:
- Charcoal producers, main beneficiaries of the project: grouped in a farmer cooperative called SAMY ANTSIKA
- Private sectors operating as part of the green charcoal value chain such as intermediaries, transporters and sellers.
- Commune and State by collecting taxes.
- Local based Associations by collecting management fees.
- Local communities including women benefit from the compensation they receive as payment for their services of removing Melaleuca seedlings in the restoration zones.
CONTACT
- Adolphe Lehavana, Project Manager
- Mail : adolphe.lehavana@mobot.mg,
- WhatsApp : +261345021785
- President of the Cooperative SAMY ANTSIKA. Tel (+261) 34 34 089 70
LOCATION MAP
OBJECTIVES
This outcome will be achieved by attaining five specific objectives :
1- 30 hectares invaded by Melaleuca in the PA and its peripheral areas are cleaned, and restoration of native vegetation launched;
2- Income from charcoal exploitation increased by 25% for 100 charcoal producers
3- Consumption of Melaleuca charcoal by residents in two major conurbations close to PA (Soanierana Ivongo and Sainte Marie) increased from zero at baseline to 30% at project-end compared to charcoal of native species
4- A model for controlling Invasive Alien Species through use disseminated to at least 10 land managers including PA managers;
5- Annually, 5Ha of degraded land reforested by using fast growing trees.
ORDERING MELALEUCA GREEN CHARCOAL
Help us in this project by ordering green charcoal!
SUPPORT FOR CONVENTIONS
This project will support various international development and conservation initiatives including :
1) the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs);
2) Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD);
3) Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar);
4) United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
In addition, it aligns with Madagascar’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) for the sustainable management of biodiversity (2015-2025).
DONORS
This project is financially supported by Darwin Initiative through Biodiversity Challenge Funds with co-financing from Fonds Français pour l'Environnement Mondial (FFEM) from the French Development Agency (AFD) and Global Environment Facilities (GEF).
