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IMPACT PROMISE
Our Partners are carefully selected due to their high conservation impact
Partner Snapshot
Partner
Location
Category
- Community Support and Development
- Protected Area Management
- Wildlife Conservation
Urgent Appeals
Date Founded
2014
Website
Partner Qualifications
About IMPACT Madagascar
IMPACT Madagascar is a Malagasy NGO who understands that you can’t protect endemic wildlife and endangered forests without taking into consideration the needs of the people living there. They take steps to preserve habitats and species while taking actions to benefit and empower local communities.
Over the last decade, they have accomplished quantifiable and sustainable long-term solutions to the problems of biodiversity loss, deforestation and poverty. From tree nurseries and biodiversity conservation to improved farming techniques and income generation, they sponsor a variety of projects which build a bright and sustainable future for the people and wildlife of Madagascar.
Their Challenges
According to Global Forest Watch, Madagascar had 15.6 Mha of natural forest in 2020, extending over 26% of its land area. As of last year (2024) it has lost 226 kha of natural forest, equivalent to 115 Mt of CO₂ emissions. This is their primary challenge: the alarming rate of continual deforestation throughout Madagascar. Most of Madagascar's tropical forests have been transformed into fragmented landscapes, leaving behind disconnected and degraded forest patches. This fragmentation creates barriers for wildlife and reduces available forest resources for all who rely on them.
The reliance of local people on these incredibly limited forest resources is an additional challenge, and includes the issues of illegal logging, timber exploitation, charcoal production, wildlife poaching, overfishing with illegal traps and nets, land-clearing bushfires (often for agriculture), and general overuse of forest and aquatic resources. Notably, bushfires are a major concern in dry habitats, primarily occurring at the end of the dry season for agricultural preparation. Habitat threats are more prevalent when rangers are absent, particularly on weekends.
Their Approach
IMPACT Madagascar works alongside local people in order to empower communities, running community-led programs and coaching practical conservation skills that are sustainable for both people and the environment. They support IMPACT Madagascar's communities through a holistic approach including:
1. Community Development and Community Conservation
2. Environmental Outreach and Practical Environmental Education
3. Forest and Wetlands Biodiversity and Habitat Monitoring
4. Reforestation and Ecological Restoration
They believe that successful conservation solutions must be implemented with community development at their core. Therefore, local people are involved in all stages of our conservation programs. We have established reforestation programs, where villages are actively restoring forest habitats via an annual tree planting program. Nursery species are also fast-growing to provide the communities with firewood, thereby conserving the protected forests. Local people are trained and then paid to monitor these programs as forest guards alongside the IMPACT team.
Why They Need Your Help
Madagascar is at serious risk of losing its remaining dry and gallery forest, along with the critically endangered species which live there. Increasing patrol capacity is vital to protecting these ecosystems, as threats occur mainly when rangers are absent, particularly over the weekends. Increasing crop yields and developing secondary income streams are vital for the long-term success of rural villages, reducing their dependence on harmful activities such as poaching or slash and burn agriculture. And environmental education provides the next generation with vital knowledge to continue this legacy of biodiversity protection.
All of these initiatives are made possible by donations, and they are forever grateful for your generosity and support. Change cannot happen without your help, and they hope you will join them.