FAPBM has granted funding under the Special Intervention Fund to the CAZ protected area (Eastern Madagascar, Atsinanana Region). This funding aims to put an end to illegal quarries opened inside the protected area, in the forests of Ambohibe and Bekorakaka. The threat of deforestation caused by this illegal mining is such that the CAZ’s Joint Control Organization (OMC) has had to request additional resources to continuously secure it on a continuous basis.
The importance of the Ankeniheny-Zahamena Corridor
The CAZ Forest is located on the eastern borders of the Vohitra River which feeds the Andekaleka hydroelectric dam. This dam provides energy to Antananarivo, Moramanga and Andasibe. It is also connected to the Toamasina power grid, providing access to energy along an axis serving agro-industrial, mining and port activities.
When it was built, Andekaleka had a capacity to produce 100 MW of electricity. This capacity has been progressively reduced over the last 30 years and now stands at around 22 MW (representing a 78% decrease).
This loss of capacity is a direct result of the degradation and deforestation of the watersheds, including part of the CAZ protected area. In 30 years, 23,675 ha of forest were lost, depleting the water of the Vohitra River and reducing the annual flow of the dam from 76.4 m3 /s down to 42.3 m3 /s between 1990 and 2000.
An emergency solution to curb deforestation
In Ambohibe forest, preliminary measures were taken in mid-November by the local authorities to curb thephenomenon. The Deputy Mayor of Didy (commune to which Ambohibe belongs), the Fokontany chiefs and the community patrols set up checkpoints to control monitors the entries into the forests and strangers who arrive in Didy. The elements from the OMC Alaotra Mangoro Region have proceeded with verifying the credentials of the strangers, supposed to be buyers of stones in the city of Ambatondrazaka.
However, the appearance of the second quarry in mid-November led the members of the CMO (the Regional Direction of the Environment and et Sustainable development of Alaotra-Mangoro, through Environment and Forestry District – CIREF of Moramanga with Conservation International) to approve the reinforcement of an extended Mixed Brigade with the support of the law and order authority, in particular elements from the National Gendarmerie. The one-week mission scheduled for December will involve about 20 elements from CIREF, national gendarmerie, the District, local authorities and Conservation International; the teams will operate simultaneously in the two localities where the operations have been observed.
