Ankarafantsika National Park (ANP), located in Madagascar’s Boeny region between the Betsiboka and Mahajamba Rivers, is home to one of the country’s largest and most ecologically vital dry deciduous forests. Spanning roughly 135,000 hectares, this expansive landscape provides critical habitat for Madagascar’s unique and often endangered wildlife.

To support, protect, and restore threatened areas within the park, the Accelerated Restoration Collaborative (ARC), in partnership with Red Island Restoration (RIR), is leading a series of community-driven, multi-phased restoration projects across 7,188 hectares. These efforts focus on reforesting degraded areas—including abandoned farmland and open grasslands—while reinforcing forest edges and preventing further ecological decline.

Seedlings are cultivated in local nurseries operated by ARC and RIR within the park’s perimeter, then transported to planting sites where they contribute to rebuilding native forest canopy, enhancing biodiversity corridors, and increasing ecosystem resilience. Each planting site is selected based on ecological need and potential for long-term regeneration.

Ankarafantsika is a refuge for rare and extraordinary species—including the critically endangered Coquerel’s sifaka and the elusive, carnivorous fossa—whose survival depends on healthy, connected habitats. By restoring these forests, ARC and RIR are not only protecting biodiversity, but also creating meaningful livelihoods for surrounding communities who are central to the success and stewardship of this long-term effort.