The Antsanitia Coastal Restoration and Ecolodge Project (ACREP) is a collaborative effort between the Accelerated Restoration Collaborative (ARC) and Red Island Restoration (RIR), located in Madagascar’s Boeny region near Mahajanga. This small-scale but high-impact initiative focuses on restoring a mosaic of coastal ecosystems—including mangrove estuaries, raffia swamps, dry forests, and dune forests—each critical to regional biodiversity and local livelihoods.

Restoration activities target degraded areas by reconnecting fragmented habitats, increasing species diversity, and protecting existing tree cover. These efforts support both mangrove and adjacent dry forest zones, where ecosystem recovery is vital for habitat stability and climate resilience.

Crucially, ACREP is grounded in community leadership and participation. ARC and RIR work in close partnership with the local Vondron’Olona Ifotony (VOI)—a recognized community-based association charged with managing nearby forests. Once volunteer-led, the VOI is now supported through paid opportunities that empower members to lead reforestation, conduct patrols, and steward long-term forest care. The project also promotes sustainable resource use, such as harvesting raffia palm fronds for traditional crafts and market sales—linking ecological stewardship with local economic benefit.

Given the project’s proximity to Mahajanga, a community-centered model is essential. ACREP not only restores critical wildlife habitat—home to species like the Coquerel’s sifaka and critically endangered sawfish—but also invests in the people who depend on these ecosystems. By weaving together ecological restoration and local empowerment, the project builds a foundation for long-term environmental and economic resilience in the Antsanitia landscape.