Conservation and development problematics : the case of Ambohitantely Forest Reserve, Madagascar

The Indian Ocean nation of Madagascar has been identified as one of the world's "biodiversity hotspots" due to a high level of endemic species. It is also one of the world's poorest countries with a high proportion of the population located in rural areas. Many habitats are considered degraded or radically altered, the underlying causes often related to increased population pressure linked to unsustainable local land use and lack of economic development. This presentation questions the productivenessof western conservation paradigms in Madagascar, and argues that local natural, historical and cultural characteristics should have been more influential on conservation policies. Based on a case study in the periphery zone of the Ambohitantely Forest Reserve in the northern highlands of Madagascar, this presentation highlights how the heterogeneity of local communities challenges the stereotypes of conservation policies.