A groundbreaking study published today in the journal Plants, People, Plant, scientist Jenny Williams of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, unveils the significant impact of drone imagery in highlighting and combating illegal deforestation in the protected forests of central Madagascar. This research showcases how drone images enable the creation of detailed 3D maps, providing a precise means to quantify forest stand losses and assist local communities in safeguarding their forests.

Highlights of the paper show:

• Drones and satellites tracking the scale of illegal deforestation in Madagascar creating 2,400 pictures over 27 km2 of forest.

• The island’s exceptional biodiversity is under threat from pressures caused by poverty

• Ultra-high-definition scans support community initiatives and protect natural resources

• A new alert system was developed to aid ground patrols and inform forestry practices

The study, resulting from a collaboration between RBG Kew, Feedback Madagascar & Ny Tanintsika, focuses on the Ambohimahamasina humid forest. Today, data and images give immediate pictures of what is happening in the forest so communities, community forest patrollers, and local authorities can react and take action immediately. You can read the full study here.

It is the first time local people have had access to images of the forest. Until now, for most people knowledge of what is happening in the forest is rumour or from first-hand reports but is sporadic and delayed. This is such a powerful way for local people and scientists alike to have a realistic idea of how the forest is and how dire any devastation is.

The Ambohimahamasina forest is part of the Ambositra-Vondrozo Forest Corridor Natural Resource Reserve (COFAV), a biodiversity-rich corridor representing one of Madagascar’s last remaining intact forests. 

Madagascar’s humid forests have been the target of illegal deforestation for many years, driven by the overwhelming demand for firewood and charcoal. Other systemic failures such as poor governance, corruption, and weak law enforcement have destroyed forests across various designated protected areas, including Ambohimahamasina.

Jenny Williams, Senior Spatial Analyst at RBG Kew, says: 'The majority of the rural population in Madagascar are subsistence living, and they rely on charcoal as their only fuel source. As a result, the local forests are under tremendous pressure to supply all the resources for communities to survive.

'At the moment, this is not sustainable and so alternative livelihoods need to be developed if we want to protect these beautiful and unique ecosystems. There is a fine balance to strike between protecting Madagascar's forests and protecting the wellbeing and livelihoods of its people and this is central to the work Kew has been doing here since the 1980s.'

In total, Jenny accumulated 485 flying minutes across 19 flights with her senseFly eBee Plus drone during a four-day period in May 2019. Unlike conventional quadcopter drones readily available to the public, the eBee is a fixed-wing drone, meaning it looks and operates like a plane with a single powered rotor to generate lift. Using this bit of kit, Jenny captured over 2,400 pictures over a 27 square kilometre area of contiguous forest.

Unfortunately, the surveys detected many sites of illegal logging within the protected area, as well as the clearing of forest for agricultural purposes. The two largest clearings measured 412 and 86 hectares and were located near to surrounding communities.

Jenny continues “I would like to thank the Adsum Foundation and Feedback Madagascar for supporting this work. Many thanks also to Ny Tanintsika for their partnership, as well as the Ambohimahamasina youth team and COFAV communities.”

This study's wealth of UAV data offers valuable insights into forest dynamics and supports local community forest management. The potential to measure the value of the forest through this technology underscores its importance for conservation and sustainable development. You can read the full study here

Please help us increase ongoing action, including supporting community forest patrollers, ecological monitoring, using drones to monitor pressures and working with local communities to protect and better manage forests.