The rate of deforestation and species extinction are increasing worldwide, and substantial efforts are being made to establish new protected areas (NPAs), build local environmental organizations and improve management of new preserves. A recent study published in mongabay.com’s open-access journal, Tropical Conservation Science , discusses how sustainable conservation management strategies are being carefully planned for a newly established and ecologically rich protected area on the Ibity Massif in the central highlands of Madagascar. Madagascar’s highlands have a long history of human occupation and disturbance dating back 2000 years, and much natural vegetation is severely fragmented. Natural vegetation has been replaced by human influenced grasslands and agricultural areas. The local pockets of natural vegetation that remain constitute centers of high diversity, and the conservation of these areas are of high importance. One such region is Madagascar’s Ibity Massif. A landscape view of part of the Ibity Massif. Photo credit: EnviroReach. The study authors write that Ibity possesses “unique plant communities that are home to many species, both herbaceous and woody, endemic to Madagascar and in some cases to the Ibity region or the massif itself.” The preserve was granted temporary protection in December 2008, and is expected to get permanent […]
Latest Articles
Inside Clean Energy: Des Moines Just Set a New Bar for City Clean Energy...
The Des Moines City Council unanimously voted this week in favor of a resolution that sets a goal of reaching 24/7 carbon-free electricity...
Eco Anxiety – The New Normal? – Top 5 Happy Eco News – 2021-01-18
Eco Anxiety - The New Normal? - Top 5 Happy Eco News – 2021-01-18
Thanks for reading the Happy Eco News Weekly Top 5 newsletter....
Past and future come together at the sustainable Auric Hall
How can architecture serve the needs of culture and civilization? IMK Architects, a pioneer in urban design founded in 1957, answers that question...
A Vibrant Cleantech Startup Ecosystem Takes Root in India
"We're just at the cusp of a real transformation of our startup ecosystem," says Pratap Raju of The Climate Collective. This is the...
Almost All New US Power Plants Built in 2021 Will Be Carbon-Free
Large scale solar plants will bring more new capacity online this year than any other electricity source. Wind and solar make up a...
Decarbonizing Cities – How to Harmonize Buildings, Mobility and Infrastructure
The Parc del Fòrum, a public open space with a massive solar panel in Barcelona, Spain. Enrique Díaz / 7cero / Getty Images...