Madagascar is one of the highest endemism centres in the world and has been recognized as one the world's priority hotspots for biodiversity conservation and as one of the top mega diversity countries.
Unfortunately Madagascar’s unique biodiversity is seriously threatened. Deforestation is the first cause of biodiversity loss in Madagascar. The deterioration of the environment by environmental unfriendly activities negatively affect the country’s natural resource base, dragging farming populations in a vicious circle of economic stagnation characterized by adecrease of output, by a weak productivity and by a poor economic diversification. Forest ecosystems and protected areas do however provide important ecosystem services for the population.
In phase 1, a nomination for a serial World Heritage site in the humid forest ecoregion was prepared and in June 2007, it was inscribed on the World Heritage List. The goal of the Madagascar World Heritage programme is to contribute to the preservation of the outstanding biodiversity in Madagascar by implementing the UNESCO World Heritage Convention while targeting the UN-Millennium Development Goals.
The objective of this second project phase is to protect key sites for biodiversity conservation in Madagascar in the humid and dry forest ecosystems through their inscription on the World Heritage List. The project engages local communities to take advantage of e.g. alternative agricultural practices, that are more compatible with the protection of the rainforest. Only by involving local stakeholders and supporting their opportunities for development, may the objectives of the Madagascar World Heritage programme succeed.