Madagascar: Expedition to a Forgotten Forest

In March 2025, I returned from an expedition in Northwest Madagascar, where I was fortunate to work alongside Guy Randriatahina, founder of Mikajy Natiora and one of the world's leading experts on blue-eyed black lemurs. Mikajy Natiora is a community-led NGO working to protect the Andatilambolo Forest, home to one of the last viable populations of these critically endangered lemurs. What I saw there wasn’t just conservation — it was a functioning model of resilience, integrity, and trust.

Mikajy Natiora has spent over 20 years in the same remote region, working hand-in-hand with local communities to protect a uniquely intact patch of forest atop a hill which has otherwise been stripped for agriculture. Their approach is not built on force or fines — it's built on reciprocity. Rather than punish harmful behaviors, they reward stewardship: families who avoid destructive rice farming on the hillsides — a key driver of deforestation — are supported with seeds, community events, traditional medicines, and primary healthcare access. In return, the forest stands, and the lemurs thrive.

The results are undeniable:

Deforestation has stopped completely on one side of the hill.

The lemur population is stable.

The village is engaged.

But on the other side of that same hill, another village remains disconnected — and the threats persist. This initiative is about extending the protection model by equipping Mikajy Natiora with the resources they need to replicate success across the corridor and formalize long-term protections.

The most immediate need?

A school — the first in this region.

Followed by modest medical facilities.

And continued field support for research, forest monitoring, and education.

This is one of the most under-studied forest patches on the planet. The research potential is profound — but so is the responsibility. This is about a way of life, a living forest, and a local model of conservation that works — one that deserves to be protected, resourced, and scaled.