The Reef Doctor Honko Project is a community-based mangrove conservation and sustainable development initiative located in the Bay of Ranobe in Southwest Madagascar, near the towns of Toliara and Ifaty.

“Honko” means “mangrove” in the local Malagasy dialect, and the project focuses on protecting and restoring this vital coastal ecosystem.

Key Objectives and Activities

The project is committed to reversing the degradation of mangrove forests, which are crucial for the local environment and the livelihoods of the coastal communities.

1. Mangrove Conservation and Restoration:

• Reversing Degradation: The primary goal is to protect the existing mangrove forests and restore areas that have been degraded due to over-exploitation for charcoal production, building materials, and over-fishing.
• Community Planting: The project has facilitated the planting of hundreds of thousands of mangrove seedlings by local community members, restoring significant areas of the forest.
• Blue Carbon: Mangroves are vital “blue carbon” ecosystems, meaning they effectively remove and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Protecting them is an important part of the solution to climate change.

2. Community-Based Management:

• Empowerment: The project works to build the expertise and capacity of local people to manage their natural resources sustainably.
• VOI Mamelo Honko: They work closely with the local community mangrove association, VOI Mamelo Honko, which has full management rights over the Ambondrolava mangrove complex.
• Local Law (Dina): This association enforces a dina (local law) that governs the use of mangrove resources, including a ban on charcoal production and the establishment of temporary mangrove fishing reserves to protect fish nurseries.

3. Sustainable Livelihoods and Ecotourism:

• Alternative Income: The project helps communities develop alternative sources of income to reduce their reliance on destructive mangrove use, such as fishing and harvesting for wood.
• Ecotourism: The project has developed a community-based ecotourism initiative that allows visitors to explore the first fully-developed community mangrove reserve in the region.
• Visitor Experience: Tourists can take a guided tour along a boardwalk to learn about the unique flora and fauna, including the high diversity of wetland birds, with local trained guides. Revenue from ecotourism directly supports the local community and conservation efforts.

In essence, the Reef Doctor Honko Project is a model of conservation that pairs scientific expertise with local knowledge to ensure the long-term survival of the mangrove ecosystem and the well-being of the communities that depend on it.