Protecting Namoroka: A Community Workshop on Fire Prevention

Last month, Wildlife Madagascar joined Madagascar National Parks (MNP) for an awareness-raising workshop on fire prevention and the protection of Tsingy de Namoroka National Park, held with the community of Analatelo near the park. Fire remains one of the most persistent threats to Namoroka’s tropical dry deciduous forest, often linked to traditional grazing and tavy (slash-and-burn) practices, which makes community-level prevention efforts especially important.

The workshop brought together regional and local authorities, conservation partners, and community members to emphasize that protecting the park and preventing destructive fires is a shared responsibility. Representing both Wildlife Madagascar and Madagascar Classic Collection, our Namoroka Reforestation Specialist Tafita Ny Aina Ramanantsitonta spoke with community members about the impacts of fire on the forest and wildlife, while highlighting the importance of conservation and sustainable tourism to the region.

This work complements our ongoing efforts to protect the park’s dry deciduous forests, including the construction of a large firebreak around the park boundary with support from Re:wild, Madagascar Classic Collection’s Namoroka Tsingy Camp, local communities, and MNP. The firebreak is part of our broader reforestation program, which works to restore and protect forest habitat across our field sites.

By combining practical fire prevention measures with community awareness and collaboration, we can help protect the forests and wildlife of Namoroka while supporting the communities who live alongside them.