Conservation Allies and our Malagasy partners are thrilled to announce the opening of the Andradrangy Command Center, a state-of-the-art ranger station and watch tower providing a much-needed base for rangers protecting the Menabe Antimena Protected Area of western Madagascar. 

The first-of-its-kind, the Command Center is strategically located to repel a wave of illegal colonists clearing the forest of the Protected Area to grow corn and peanuts for export.  Based in the zone of greatest challenges, the Command Center significantly improves the efficiency and success of patrolling operations.

Named for a local warrior hero Andradrangy, the Command Center was inaugurated on 15th July and immediately became the central hub for our Protected Area enforcement teams called Mixed Brigades, composed of rangers, law enforcement officers, and local people. 

Previously, patrols were exceedingly challenging due to the lack of infrastructural support to access areas confronting deforestation. Now, with the amenities of this new facility—including a watchtower, clean water from a deep well, a kitchen and cook, Starlink WiFi, and comfortable beds—rangers have the resources they need to conduct their crucial work and respond rapidly to threats, maintaining a stronger presence in critical areas.

Importantly, this first-of-a-kind Command Center for Madagascar represents a monumental advancement for national efforts to thwart the growing pressures on the country’s precious Protected Areas. The inauguration made national headlines and established an example that other Protected Areas facing crises are eager to replicate. 

Your generous support has made this achievement possible. By providing an equipped home base for Malagasy rangers, you are directly contributing to the conservation of Madagascar’s biodiversity. Your support is not just building facilities—it’s building the foundations for a future where nature can thrive.

We thank Fanamby for constructing the Command Center and many partners involved in Menabe Antimena: Madagascar National Parks, USAID, US Embassy, Madagascar Protected Areas and Biodiversity Fund (FAPBM), Hempel Foundation,  CNFEREF, UK Embassy, Alliance Voahary Gasy, Madagasikara Voakajy, IUCN, Durrell Conservation Trust, Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development (MEDD), Commandant de Groupement (Gendarme), Commissaire Principal de Police, and Commandant des zones de défense et de sécurité de Tsiribihana (Military) and many others.