Harmonious Protected Landscape, Category V
Missouri Botanical Garden (MBG)
6136 ha
Antananarivo Province, Vakinankaratra Region, Antsirabe II District
Key Biodiversity Area, Priority Area for Plant Conservation
The New Protected Area (NPA) is essentially a large mountain populated by herbaceous dominated vegetation (four main types), largely shaped by the actions of fires. The woody vegetation occupies only very small areas. The great importance of the quartzite’s outcropping is conducive to the rocky vegetation where we observe an important procession of local endemic species. The massif also shelters a not negligible surface of forest of tapia.
43 species
1 endangered
16 species
1 chameleon species classified as vulnerable and 1 other local endemic species also classified as vulnerable
5 species
1 species
10 species
304 species
236 endemic to Madagascar, of which 2 are endangered and 2 vulnerable; 12 local endemics including 2 critically endangered species, 4 species of aloes of which 3 are endangered
Dominant secondary meadows and pastures, degraded sclerophyllous open forest, forest belts in thalwegs attached to mid-elevation humid dense forest, ericoid mountain thicket, traces of thicket, rupicolous vegetation, marsh and peatland vegetation
Bush fires, charcoal production, exploitation of non-timber forest products, mining (gold panning)
The great economic importance of the Ibity Massif is due to its role as the source of streams and rivers that irrigate several thousand hectares of rice fields in the surrounding area. The lower slopes of the massif are used for grazing, collecting medicinal plants and wood. Tourism, although on a small scale, also provides modest economic benefits to the local population.
The governance adopted for the Ibity Massif is a collaborative participatory management between representatives of local populations grouped in management committees (COGE) and MBG. The local community is also involved in securing the NAP through conservation activities, mainly patrols.
FAPBM's financial support to the new Ibity Massif protected area began in 2022. This funding ensures the implementation of conservation activities (patrols and surveillance, firefighting, IEC, etc.), support to local management structures, strengthening of the sustainable financing mechanism through ecotourism, and covers part of the salary and operating costs of the management unit.
