The CEPF Vegetation Map of Madagascar Project

Project Duration: 3 years (2003-2006) Funding source: Critical Ecosystems Partnership Fund (CEPF)

Project Partners: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (RBG Kew); Missouri Botanical Garden (MBG) and Conservation International’s Center for Applied Biodiversity Science (CABS)

The website for this project is up and running see: http://www.madagascar-vegetation.org

INTRODUCTION

The most widely used map of primary vegetation for Madagascar is that of Du Puy and Moat (1996), produced by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. This map, and the majority of those currently in use in Madagascar, are based on Faramalala’s earlier vegetation map, which in turn was derived from satellite imagery from the late 1970s. The original information from which these maps were derived is wholly out of date, and it has been estimated that 20-30% of the primary vegetation shown has disappeared since. An accurate and updated vegetation map is thus imperative for conservation planning and natural resource management in Madagascar. It is also essential that the data on which such a map is based be made freely available, so that conservation organisations, Government departments, academic institutions and other stakeholders can use them as an up to date standard dataset on which to base their activities. In order for a vegetation map to fulfil its intended role it must
a) accurately delimit areas with various vegetation types as they currently exist, and
b) assign those areas to objective categories that can be easily recognized in the field and that reliably reflect fundamental biological differences (primarily structural features, i.e. physiognomy).
This Project, supported by the CEPF and administered by RBG Kew, MBG and CABS, aims to produce just such a map.

Initial Classification from Modis data 2002	Landsat Composite from mid 1990’s

METHODS

• Data sources: The CEPF vegetation map of Madagascar will use state of the art imagery from the MODIS and Landsat 7 satellites to stratify the vegetation of Madagascar. This stratification will be followed up with extensive field survey and ground truthing, which will be carried out by the network of botanical and conservation organisations currently active in Madagascar.
• Expertise: Botanical and conservation expertise will be provided by local and international contributors through a series of technical workshops, and through a fully interactive website. All input will be co-ordinated by the Project Secretariat, based in Antananarivo.
• Products: The major products arising from this Project will be digital and paper versions of a new vegetation map for Madagascar, designed and made publicly available for conservation, scientific research and natural resource management purposes.
• Dissemination: The outputs of the Project will be disseminated through a Project website, the Madagascar Biodiversity Network, paper publications, workshops and training programmes.
  

MAJOR OUTPUTS

The major outputs of this project are essential tools for assessing, monitoring and managing biological diversity both within and outside the existing protected areas, and one that environmental managers cannot afford to be without. They are:

CONTACTS

Paul Smith, International Co-ordinator, Millennium Seed Bank, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Wakehurst Place, Ardingly, West Sussex RH17 6TN, UK. Email
Justin Moat, GIS unit Manager, Herbarium, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Ri chmond, Surrey. TW9 3AB. Email

The website for this project is up and running see: http://www.madagascar-vegetation.org