About Madagascar: This island nation, situated off Africa’s southeast coast, is recognized by biologists as a fascinating place to study biodiversity and evolution. After splitting away from mainland Africa millions of years ago, Madagascar developed unique ecosystems and species. Its otherworldly spiny forests, eucalyptus-covered highlands, and lush rainforests are home to 2% of the world’s biodiversity, and over 200,000 species. While Madagascar’s myriad lemurs, exotic birds, and unique insects have long attracted the attention of scientists, the island’s flora is now coming into the spotlight. Over 60% of the catalogued plants in Madagascar have medicinal qualities. Chief among these is the rosy periwinkle, which contains chemicals useful in fighting cancer in children. Unfortunately, Madagascar’s impoverished rural population relies heavily on slash-and-burn agriculture to survive. The original forest is being destroyed at the alarming rate of 2,000 km² per year; only 10% of the forest cover remains. With the destruction of these forests comes the eventual extinction of Madagascar’s animal species, which cannot survive in the dry grasslands that replace them. There is hope, however: the pledge in 200by President Marc Ravalomanana to triple the island’s protected areas by the year 2008 has renewed enthusiasm and inspired new action.

The Project: After arriving in the capital of Antananarivo, the group travels to the highlands city of Fianarantsoa whose name means “the city where good is learned”. Long considered the intellectual capital of Madagascar, it is home to a university, several seminaries, and the increasingly important Environmental Law School. Students meet with scholars, biologists, and NGO leaders as they seek to understand the historical and social context of the country’s current environmental challenges. An overnight trip to the lush, lemur-filled Ranomafana National Park gives a window on efforts to integrate conservation initiatives with local, village-based economies.

From Fianarantsoa, the group travels to the south­western coastal town of Tuléar, which serves as their base for the next two weeks. Here, in the much more arid lowlands, students see firsthand the devastating effects of deforestation and subsistence-level agriculture. Living in rustic conditions in a nearby village, the group participates in short homestays and becomes involved in both group and individual projects which may include developing environmental education programs in local schools, shoreline preservation and restoration, fishery surveys, and language classes designed to help villagers better participate in eco-tourism efforts. Those students with knowledge of French will find that it comes in handy, and the whole group takes daily lessons in Malagasy, the native language of Madagascar.

The final three days of the program are spent in an eco-lodge near the Beza-Mahafaly Special Reserve, where students meet with researchers and scientists, and take time to reflect on and synthesize their experiences in preparation for presenting their plan for continued involvement to other Global Action groups back at Yale.

Students who speak some French will find opportunities to use it in the cities, and with local officials. Villagers speak only Malagasy. Please note that living conditions on this program are very basic.