Conservation of the Palms in Madagascar

Biodiversity conservation is to be achieved by the protection of rare and threatened species. In order to maintain the irreplaceable services that palms provide for the ecosystems and for the local livelihood, this project aims to conserve palms diversity and promote ecologically sustainable development. This purpose pertains directly to the establishment of a conservation strategy and resource management in order to reduce the population decline or the local extinction of many threatened and rare species. The specific objectives of the project; Study of palms diversity and their spatial distribution pattern; Ethnobotanical study of palms; Reduction of the species extinction risk; Education for sustainable development and raising awareness. The results of this project will be a milestone key for palms conservation in Madagascar as this project gathers major scientific and socio-economic information necessary for the establishment of a global conservation action plan for palms. This project aims to conserve palms diversity and promote ecologically sustainable development by establishing an action plan based on the following studies: the spatial distribution pattern of the species, the uses of palms, the extinction risk of each species, and the promotion of raising awareness.

Abstract

Biodiversity conservation is to be achieved by the protection of rare and threatened species. For Madagascar, conservation biology constitutes a big challenge for palms flora as this latter is represented by rich and highly diversified taxa. Of the 204 currently known species, 83% fall under the threatened categories of the IUCN Red list. Such high rate of threats comes to the unsustainable uses of different species in the wild and also because of the major loss of natural habitat recorded throughout the island. Palms play somehow a significant role in the rural environment as they are used for instance for house construction, food, basketry or for daily tools. Palms represents also a major source for the local community due to growing interest for several species for national or international horticultural trade. Human activities have led to a serious decline of the wild populations of several species or even caused the local extinction of mature individuals of some species. To reverse this negative trend of the species survival rate, the purpose of this project is to conserve palms diversity and their habitat, and to promote ecologically sustainable development in villages where human subsistence depends mostly on palms. The achievement of this goal relies on the implementation of five specific objectives corresponding to the improvement of scientific knowledge on palms taxonomy, ecology, biogeography, ethnobotany but also to suggest conservation tools and environmental awareness adapted to the need of the local communities. All these activities rely on the effective participation of the local communities in every step of the project. The major expected outcome is the setting up of a national conservation strategy for palms which will be a reference tool for the conservation of all threatened palms species in the future. Researchers from four institutions will contribute to the success of this project for the next three years: botanists from the University of Antananarivo will work for producing a strong scientific basis required for the palm’s conservation and staff from the Parc Botanique et Zoologique de Tsimbazaza and the Arboretum de Ranomafana are mostly in charge of the ex situ conservation and education programme. Palms specialists from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew will participate in the data analysis for the scientific outputs and the preparation of the final action plan.

A Project Description

 Context and Brief State of The Art

Palms (Arecaceae) are one of the most important groups of plants in Madagascar either in term of taxonomic diversity or in the social and economic value that they represent for the human population. With 204 currently described native species (Govaerts et al. 2017), Madagascar figures among the most important palms territories in the world; and as throughout in the tropics, palms are keystone plants for the ecosystem services that they provide (Bennet, 2011). In Madagascar, palms are vital for human existence since rural and dwelling forest people mostly rely upon them for the daily subsistence (food, house construction, medicine…) or for their income due to the economic potential for palms (food, ornamental plants…) (Dransfield & Beentje, 1995).

Given to the over exploitation of some species and the absence of an adequate plan or the failure of the existing conservation measures, 84% of the native species are estimated to be threatened according to the IUCN Red List categories (Rakotoarinivo et al., 2014). Such proportion of threatened species is very high compared to other plant groups; for instance, threatened rate is estimated at around 20% for seed plants in global (RBG Kew 2016).  The major threats for palms in Madagascar are related to human activities especially because of habitat loss or unsustainable and destructive harvesting such as the edible palm heart or the collection of the seeds for the national or international horticultural trade. In addition, deforestation is also a major concern for palms conservation in Madagascar. Nearly all species are natural forests dependent and about 90% of the native species inhabit the humid forest (Rakotoarinivo et al., 2013) where is recorded one of the most alarming destruction of the primary vegetation types (Rasolofoson et al., 2015). The loss of some locally important species will affect not only the balance of the natural ecosystems but also will have a negative impact on the rural environment as the natural resources in which people depend will disappear.

Purpose of The Project

In order to maintain the irreplaceable services that palms provide for the ecosystems and for the local livelihood, this project aims to conserve palms diversity and promote ecologically sustainable development. This purpose pertains directly to the establishment of a conservation strategy and the resource management in order to reduce the population decline or the local extinction of any threatened and rare species.

More specifically, this project has the following specific objectives:

• Specific objective 1- Study of palms diversity and their spatial distribution pattern: to understand and to address current gaps on palms diversity and palms ecology knowledge in order to assess correctly the survivorships rate of the different species.
• Specific objective 2 – Ethnobotanical study of palms: to outline the utilitarian values of palms in the context of their cultural, social and economic significance in the rural environment.
• Specific objective 3 – Reduction of the species extinction risk: to increase the long-term chance of the threatened species survival rate.
• Specific objective 4– Education for sustainable development and raising awareness: to incite positive attitude towards palms and ecosystem conservation by promoting education programme and awareness sensitization.

Foreseen Activities

• To fulfill the project’s objective, each specific objective will encompass activities related to research, training and/or resources management.
• Specific objective 1- Study of palms diversity and their spatial distribution pattern
  • Catalogue of palms diversity in sites where palms richness is predicted to be high but remain understudied. Designation of the study sites will be primarily based on the existing predicted species richness map for palms (Rakotoarinivo et al., 2013) but globally they will be located in the following phytogeographical subdivisions: North-east (Analanjirofo), East (Atsinanana), South-east (Vatovavy-Fitovinany and Atsimo Atsinanana), Highland (Vakinanakaratra) and West (Menabe).
  • Population monitoring: demographic pattern study and definition of the ecological profile of each species.
•  Specific objective 2 – Ethnobotanical study of palms
  • Collect of local knowledge on palms use from a household survey. Questionnaires will be designed in advance for documenting about different parameters such as past and present use, mode of preparation, parts of the plants used, place of collection and habitats.
  • Value of palms utilisation. To quantify the economic importance of palms by measuring the cost of any equivalent products in the market in order to propose practical solutions for stopping or mitigating the palms decline from their exploitation in the future.
• Specific objective 3: Reduction of the species extinction risk
  • Seed collecting and nursery management: palms seedlings production in nurseries implemented at PBZT and at the Arboretum of Ranomafana.
  • Ex situ conservation: enrichment of palms living collections in urban or populated areas.
• Specific objective 4– Education for sustainable development and raising awareness
  • Outreach materials:
    • posters and radio broadcasting programmes,
    • interpretation panels in botanical gardens,
    • production of various regional palms conservation guide to sensitize local communities, plants operators and protected areas managers on their importance of palms in their regions to human subsistence and thus the need for the conservation of these species in the wild.
  • Conception of the action plan:
    • meetings with local communities from the study sites to raise their awareness about the importance of conserving endangered species and to take account their vision on in situ palms conservation methods,
    • two workshops in Antananarivo with different stakeholders for the establishment of the palms action plan, to be based on IUCN species action plan’s recommendation.

Expected Result and Deliverables

The results of this project will be a milestone key for palms conservation in Madagascar as this project gathers major scientific and socio-economic information necessary for the establishment of a global conservation action plan for palms. In addition, this project represents an opportunity for training and a capacity building for a new generation of botanists and conservation specialists in scientific research in Madagascar.

Specific objective 1- Study of palms diversity and their spatial distribution pattern:

• Enrichment of palms collection in herbaria and publication of taxonomic literature

Success indicators: new floristic data (palms and associated species) from poorly known sites, finding of a new population of rare or poorly known species (cf. IUCN’s DD category), a discovery of new species.

Long-term impact/Expected sustainability: increase of the knowledge of the palm’s taxonomy, ecology and biogeography in Madagascar.

 Result Sharing and Transfer

• Herbarium specimens deposited at three herbaria: Univ. Tana, TAN & P.
• Specimen digitised and images shared at GBIF web portals
• Scientific articles in peer journals (Kew Bulletin, Adansonia, etc.) about palms taxonomy, ecology and biogeography. All taxonomic data acquired during this project will be incorporated as well to the second edition of the book «Palms of Madagascar» in which the project leader is co-authoring (book in preparation and publication planned by the end of 2019).
• Ecological analysis and description of the population structure

Success indicators:

• Metapopulation analysis for all surveyed species,
• Reassessment of the IUCN’s red list category for at least 70 rare and highly threatened species.

Long-term impact/Expected sustainability: species abundance and density described, phytosociological characteristics, soil properties requirement; new ecological data for reviewing the IUCN Redlist categories of some priority species.

• Results sharing and transfer:
  • articles describing the palms community structure across different bioclimatic zones in Madagascar;
  • one (01) Master’s student (DBEV, Univ. Antananarivo) for analysing the importance of metapopulation study on threatened species conservation biology;
• publication of new assessment on IUCN’s red list category for some priority species.

 Specific objective 2 – Ethnobotanical study of palms

• Description of traditional knowledge on palms utilisation
  • Success indicators: list of useful palms and their relationship with local community’s subsistence; the ability to link the use of palms to a tax on name in different regions.
  • Long-term impact/Expected sustainability: intellectual and traditional property on palms uses not lost and available for new generation
• Results sharing and transfer:
  • one (01) Master student to specialise on palms ethnobotany and for studying the traditional knowledge related to palms utilisation across Madagascar, the economic value of palms and the promotion of non-destructive harvesting;
  • publication of scientific articles describing the relationships of rural communities with palms in Madagascar;
  • access to knowledge of Madagascar palms shared with the local community through the regional palms guide that will be returned to them before the end of the project (a commitment as part of Access and Benefit-sharing Clearing-House)

Value of palms Utilisation

• Success indicators: a) accurate description of the value of materials or tools made from palms and used in the subsistence of the local community; b) palms utilisation to be used for sensitising about the threats and extinction risk of each species.
• Long-term impact/Expected sustainability: estimation of the household cost of the palms products in order to propose practical solutions for mitigating the palms pressure in the wild.
• Results sharing and transfer:

1. • articles about the palms economic value and the impact of lowering the palms dependency in the livelihood of the local community.
   • Suggestions for alternative income source or materials to the local community in order that they give up palms harvesting; this proposition will be included in the final action plan will be returned to the local communities after its publication.

Specific objective 3 – Reduction of the species extinction risk

• Seedlings production for the most threatened species
  • Success indicators:
    • at least 50 seedlings of each rare and threatened species recorded from the field produced in ex situ nurseries,
    • ex situ conservation: living collections in botanic gardens (PBZT, University of Antananarivo and Arboretum de Ranomafana) or other public institutions across the island.
  • Long-term impact/Expected sustainability: protocol for successful palms germination techniques described.
•  Results sharing and transfer:
  • one scientific paper about palms germination biology (trial methods, success rate, survival of seedlings in the nursery),
  • prospectus on palms germination methods produced and disseminated among plant conservationists and technicians.
  • One part of the produced seedlings transplanted in botanic gardens; another part is reserved for future reintroductions in the wild as part of benefit sharing to the local communities to which these palms initially belong.
• Off-site conservation
  • Success indicator: ex situ conservation of rare and threatened species in the wild.
  • Long-term impact/Expected sustainability:
  • avoiding the loss of biodiversity,
  • potential source of seeds for in situ reintroduction if necessary,
  • sustain and protect the environment with the associated raising awareness in the botanical gardens.
  • Results sharing and transfer: supplementary seedlings to be shared in public gardens or adequate public institutions.

Specific objective 4– Education for sustainable development and raising awareness

• Increase of sensitization on palms conservation importance
  • Success indicator: positive impact on palms conservation for the outreach tools (posters, interpretation panels and regional conservation palms guide).
  • Long-term impact/Expected sustainability: behaviour changes, positive attitude towards palms conservation, reduction of extinction risk.
  • Results sharing and transfer: transfer of knowledge on the importance of biodiversity to forest-dwelling peoples and the large public, learning of importance of each palm species on the environment through the regional produced guide.
• National action plan for palms conservation
  • Success indicator: document agreed by all stakeholders: scientific communities, public authorities, park managers and the local communities.
  • Long-term impact/Expected sustainability: unique document to refer in the future for making up a palm species conservation project based on scientific data and local community’s interest.
  • Results sharing and transfer: diffusion of the strategy to all stakeholders and document to be available for public download on the IUCN redlist website.

Summarised Presentation of The Project Team

• This project will be mainly undertaken with the active participation of three partner’s institutions:
• • Department de Biologie et Ecologie Végétales (DBEV): a public institution, department at the Faculty of Sciences, University of Antananarivo, teaching the plant biology, ecology and conservation practices. By including one palms specialist, one ethnobotany specialist and two Master students (to be hired for a metapopulation study on rare palms species and for ethnobotanical studies across the regions for fieldwork), the team from the DBEV presents adequate skills to carry out correctly and successfully all academic research and in situ conservation efforts necessary for this project.
  • Parc Botanique et Zoologique de Tsimbazaza (PBZT): located in Antananarivo, this park is the most renown and the largest botanical garden in Madagascar. Botanists from PBZT are familiar with the horticultural process of the ex-situ plants multiplication. Firstly, PBZT will bring important inputs for succeeding the palms seed germination from nursery techniques; and secondly, its palmetum will be the best place for an urban display of the high palms’ diversity in Madagascar, and consequently a good place for setting up a successful raising awareness at the public level.
  • Arboretum de Ranomafana (ADR): a botanical garden in Ranomafana (Ifanadiana, Southeast of Madagascar) of 10 hectares and with about 250 domesticated native species. With about 30 rare palms species locally multiplied and raised from seeds, this garden has a successful and significant experience to be taken account in the palm’s conservation in Madagascar, either at the scientific or the educational aspects.

In addition, the writing up of the final action plan for the palms will be made in collaboration with two researchers from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in England: Dr John Dransfield and Dr William J. Baker. The participation of these two scientists is important for the setting of the action plan through their experience on palms taxonomy and conservation. Both are worldwide recognized palms specialists and have made quite substantial research on the palm’s taxonomy and ecology in Madagascar. Furthermore, they are members of the palm’s specialists’ group board at the IUCN.

Project Summary

This summarized presentation of 10 to 15 lines maximum must be written for communication purpose. It could be used to present the project for institutional communication, in case the project would be financed by the SEP2D programme.

Palms are one of the most important groups of plants in Madagascar. With 205 currently described native species, palms play important role in the socio-economic aspect in rural areas across the country where poor and dwelling forest people rely mostly upon palms for the daily subsistence (food, house construction, medicine…) or for making income due to the economic potential for palms (food, ornamental plants…). The latest census reported somehow that 84% of the palms species in Madagascar are highly threatened and on the verge of extinction in Madagascar due to their overexploitation or the loss of their habitat. In order to maintain the irreplaceable services that palms provide for the ecosystems and for the local livelihood, this project aims to conserve palms diversity and promote ecologically sustainable development by establishing an action plan based on the following studies: the spatial distribution pattern of the species, the uses of palms, the extinction risk of each species and the promotion of raising awareness. By the end of this project, a document will be containing the strategic conservation measures for the species conservation will be produced upon the partnership of different stakeholders.

The DBEV is a reference institution for teaching and leading botanical and ecological research at the academic level in Madagascar.  Many of experts in botany and plants research in this country have carried out their study in this department of the University of Antananarivo. This project is the first for palms research to be undertaken in the name of DBEV but the senior researchers involved in this project have specialized in the suggested topics: palms systematics and biology, and plants-human relationships. The team leader (MR) has worked for the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew between 2008 and 2015 for the study of palms diversity in Madagascar. MR has continued the palms research after having moved to the University in 2015. During the last five years, the team leader has participated in publication of papers relevant to the success of this project: