In Madagascar
The fauna and flora of Madagascar are among the richest in the world, but Madagascar's economy is among the world's poorest. Madagascar has scant resources to invest in conservation, much less the education and training of conservationists. Since 1991, the Foundation has been committed to developing the institutional and human resources necessary to conserve Madagascar's biological wealth. With our support:
- Joanna Durbin of the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust recruited and trained a highly competent Malagasy staff, now working in communities throughout Madagascar to save endangered endemic wildlife under terms the communities determine for themselves.
- Missouri Botanical Garden trained botanists Armand Randrianasolo and Chris Birkinshaw now lead a comprehensive effort to protect Madagascar's endangered endemic plants working in national parks and reserves and in newly established community-managed protected areas.
- Joel Ratsirarson earned a master's degree at Yale under Foundation board member Alison Richard, and then returned to the Beza Mahafaly Reserve to join local communities, Malagasy scientists, and government officials in partnership to protect the Reserve and its threatened lemurs. He subsequently served as Minister of Environment, Water and Forests and then chief of staff to former President Marc Ravalomanana.