Author Archive | Lynne Venart

Indri are Andasibe's most iconic species, protected in the rainforests managed by Mitsinjo.

LCN Member of the Month: Association Mitsinjo

By Lynne Venart on August 7, 2018

Tell us a little bit about the history of Association Mitsinjo. Association Mitsinjo was formed in 1999 as a grassroots village initiative by 13 community members from Andasibe. Originally created as an association of tourist guides, members soon began to also use their skills and experience for the conservation of the biodiversity of their region. Over the years of its existence, and having itself evolved from the community it is working in, Association Mitsinjo has developed into an important […]

2017 World Lemur Festival Events Calendar

By Lynne Venart on September 26, 2017

Celebrate lemurs on World Lemur Day, October 27! World Lemur Festival events will be held in Madagascar on November 10-11, and throughout the world at the end of October and beginning of November. This event listing and map will be updated throughout the month. Events in Madagascar World Lemur Festival in Antananarivo, hosted by GERP November 10-11 Frontier Nosy Be, Madagascar October 27th We will set up a stand in Hell-ville near the market and we will promote our work here in […]

View of Ranomafana National Park from Centre Val Bio. Photo: Lynne Venart.

Leading Conservation with Pascal Rabeson of Centre ValBio

By Lynne Venart on August 8, 2017

Dr. Pascal Rabeson is Centre Val Bio’s National Director, and originally from Toamasina, Madagascar. He has worked with Dr. Patricia Wright in Ranomafana on and off since 1995, most recently rejoining Centre ValBio in 2003. A key part of CVB’s Senior Management Team, Pascal now serves as the National Director at CVB headquarters in Ranomafana National Park. Can you tell me about your background? I grew up in Madagascar and earned my primary, secondary and high school education here. After I passed […]

Conservation Fusion Partners with Schools in Kianjavato

By Lynne Venart on January 20, 2017

In September, I visited the small town of Kianjavato in eastern Madagascar to meet with LCN members Conservation Fusion and Madagascar Biodiversity Partnership to learn about their work first hand. Both Conservation Fusion and MBP work closely with the villages in this area to build a strong foundation for continued conservation of the eleven lemur species in the nearby forests. Madagascar Biodiversity Partnership has worked in this region since 2009, and Conservation Fusion began their education programming here in 2010 to help teach the local children about […]

Reforestation in Kianjavato: MBP’s Conservation Successes

By Lynne Venart on January 17, 2017

I visited Madagascar Biodiversity Partnership‘s (MBP) field station in Kianjavato last year to learn about their reforestation and conservation efforts in this region. Kianjavato is located about 1 ½ hours east of Ranomafana, and is home to at least 14,000 people and a dozen villages. The forest fragments surrounding Kianjavato are home to nine lemur species including the aye-aye, black and white ruffed lemur, and the greater bamboo lemur. Reforestation to Connect the Forests of Kianjavato and Vatovavy MBP established […]

The Sakaviro Forest: A Hidden Gem Near Anja Reserve

By Lynne Venart on January 10, 2017

Betsileo villagers take Lynne to Sakaviro Forest, 5km down a dirt road near Anja Reserve in southern Madagascar. They see ring-tailed lemurs, a cave & more.

Sifakas, Ring-Tails and Sportive Lemurs at Berenty Reserve

By Lynne Venart on January 2, 2017

Volunteer Belinda Bertrand visits Berenty Reserve in southern Madagascar and sees Verraux’s sifakas, ring-tailed lemurs, sportive lemurs, and a Skups owl!

Volunteering at Sainte Luce Reserve

By Lynne Venart on December 15, 2016

This past October I volunteered in forest conservation for two weeks at Sainte Luce Reserve in south east Madagascar. I found the reserve listed on an international volunteer website and liked the variety it offered. Plus, it was in Madagascar which was a place that I’ve always wanted to visit. The volunteer listing mentioned lemur follows, tree planting, trail clearing, planting mangroves, sea turtle monitoring, and working in the tree nursery which all sounded perfect for me. I checked out […]