The exchange workshop as part of the "Nursery Exchange Project" was held from August 27th to September 3rd. During the first three days, the workshop took place in our protected area in Mangabe, Moramanga. The second part was held at Parc Ivoloina, in Tamatave, managed by the Madagascar Fauna and Flora Group.
The exchange platform brought together three conservation organizations: Madagasikara Voakajy (MV), Madagascar Fauna and Flora Group (MFG), and the Missouri Botanical Garden (MBG). The participants included 26 nursery workers and staff members from each organization. The goal of this project is to restore the forests in the eastern part of Madagascar.
During the first part of the workshop in Mangabe, several topics related to seedling production and treatment were discussed, followed by hands-on activities in the forest and the nursery. On the first day, participants took on a challenge to create a biodegradable pot using banana bark. Collecting wild saplings from the forest also marked this initial phase. Indeed, this is a crucial step in seedling production in nurseries and in forest restoration.
For the second part at Parc Ivoloina, the MFG team shared their experience in restoration and nursery management. Biological control was one of the key themes of this workshop. This method aims to manage the spread of invasive plant species in restoration plots. This process begins in the nursery: nursery workers must care for the seedlings by removing weeds from the pots to prevent the intrusion of invasive species.
This project was made possible through funding from the Darwin Initiative, along with collaboration between Chester Zoo, MV, MFG, and MBG. We would like to thank our donor for their financial support, as you have not only transformed the lives of the nursery workers who benefited from these exchanges but also the lives of local communities around the three intervention areas of this project in the eastern part of Madagascar.
