All through the year Conservation Fusion joined in force its partner Madagascar Biodiversity Partnership in community mobilization and environmental educational programs in Madagascar. Tree planting events are part of the reforestation program initiated by Madagascar Biodiversity Partnership and they are happening every day in the field and schools are taking active part of it.
Madagascar has lost more than 90% of its forests due to a growing population, agricultural practices and resource extraction: land clearing to grow food and cash crops, and to graze cattle, reliance on charcoal and wood as fuel for cooking, harvest of woods for export - this activity is destructive to the long-term environment and leaves behind a lot of fragmented forests that are homes for lemurs, insects, carnivores, flora -these species cannot be found elsewhere in the world. Deforestation combined with weathering and naturally occurring soil conditions has resulted in catastrophic soil erosion and environmental degradation, and lack of habitat for these indigenous species.
Reforestation is critical to the environment, for our biodiversity and our lives. For years Conservation Fusion has permanently worked in field within the grassroots community, educating and empowering them to inspire the sense of ownership and thus enhancing them to take leadership roles in protecting the forests for common and shared benefits among all people. We believed that education starting from the grassroots level is key to build a sustainable and strong foundation for biodiversity conservation. Every year more than 20 schools are now taking part in the tree planting events - planting more than 3500 trees a day which are tracked with GPS by Madagascar Biodiversity Partnership field team.
Two years ago, students from the primary school of Kianjavato planted trees in Kianjavato hills to restore the forest, but recently in this new year 2017, the area was burnt and trees planted by students there were all gone... hearing this news, the students were saddened because all the efforts they made were gone as well. In February when we started the reforestation program for schools, they decided they want to come back to the same place to plant trees again because they are now aware of the importance of tree planting and what tree planting can benefit both the community and the forest restoration at large scale. They planted more than 5000 trees a day and will again come back for many other tree plantings throughout this year.
This awareness raising and ownership of actions portrayed by those children from primary school is hope itself in the fight against environment destruction and not only does it give hope but those children are HOPE for a better and greener future. They are not dreaming anymore for a healthy and greener environment, they are actually acting for it.
Inspired by hope, Conservation Fusion Team
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