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Ny Fanja explained that from the start it had been considered crucial to involve and consult local communities at all stages of the feasibility studies.

Typical of the success to date has been the decision by two local communities in the Mandena area to proclaim an ecotourism conservation zone that includes a remaining patch of ancient coastal forest and its associated wildlife. With QMM's assistance, the community has established an ecotourism trail through the forest, complete with hand carved signboards and an adventurous boat trip through a jungle of forest wetland, all for US$50 per head, most of which goes to the village association.

The next day, Manon Vincelette, QMM's environmental programme manager, showed us the impressive plant and tree research centre, where dozens of indigenous plants and trees were being grown from seed, and where forest seeds were being dried, catalogued and stored to build up a seed bank of local species. Should mining go ahead, as much of the mined area as possible will be replanted with indigenous trees and plants, so it is important to find out well ahead of time how to propagate them.

Manon went on to explain why so much of Madagascar's remarkable fauna and flora is unique. At the time of Madagascar's split from Africa, dinosaurs were the world's dominant life form, with mammals holding only a lowly position.

From those basic life forms and during its long isolation, Madagascar has evolved a fauna and flora all of its own, many species being found nowhere else on earth. Of its hundreds of reptile species, for example, over 99 per cent are unique to the island. For some reason, chameleons have prospered particularly well on Madagascar and the island has more species of these pocket dragons than anywhere else on earth.



Ny Fanja explained that from the start it had been considered crucial to involve and consult local communities at all stages of the feasibility studies. Typical of the success to date has been the decision by two local communities in the Mandena area to proclaim an ecotourism conservation zone that includes a remaining patch of ancient coastal forest and its associated wildlife. With QMM's assistance, the community has established an ecotourism trail through the forest, complete with hand carved signboards and an adventurous boat trip through a jungle of forest wetland, all for US$50 per head, most of which goes to the village association. The next day, Manon Vincelette, QMM's environmental programme manager, showed us the impressive plant and tree research centre, where dozens of indigenous plants and trees were being grown from seed, and where forest seeds were being dried, catalogued and stored to build up a seed bank of local species. Should mining go ahead, as much of the mined area as possible will be replanted with indigenous trees and plants, so it is important to find out well ahead of time how to propagate them. Manon went on to explain why so much of Madagascar's remarkable fauna and flora is unique. At the time of Madagascar's split from Africa, dinosaurs were the world's dominant life form, with mammals holding only a lowly position. From those basic life forms and during its long isolation, Madagascar has evolved a fauna and flora all of its own, many species being found nowhere else on earth. Of its hundreds of reptile species, for example, over 99 per cent are unique to the island. For some reason, chameleons have prospered particularly well on Madagascar and the island has more species of these pocket dragons than anywhere else on earth.
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Review is published by Rio Tinto, 6 St James' Square, London SW1Y 4LD, England Telephone +44 (0)20 7930 2399 Editor: Cherry DeGeer