ANGAP—The National Association for the Management of Protected Areas in Madagascar.
2006 UPDATE: In January 2006, Madagascar introduced a new park-management system, the System of Protected Areas of Madagascar (SAPM). SAPM simplifies the legal process used to create a protected area and permits varying degrees of sustainable resource use to contribute to poverty reduction and sustainable development. SAPM replaces ANGAP.
ANGAP (the National Association for the Management of Protected Areas—Association Nationale pour la Gestion des Aires Protegees)—is the organization that manages Madagascar's protected areas system. Founded in 1990, SAPM's mission is five-fold:
Safeguarding Madagascar's ecosystems.
Researching the potential of Madagascar's biodiversity.
Developing environmental education programs for local people.
Promoting potential commercial applications of Madagascar's biodiversity (ecotourism, for example).
Supporting sustainable development activities in areas surrounding protected zones.
One of SAPM (ANGAP)'s principal goals is to enable local communities to benefit directly from conservation. Fifty percent of park entrance fees collected by SAPM (ANGAP) go to local communities, and visitors cannot enter a park without hiring a local guide. SAPM (ANGAP) has extensive training programs to ensure local guides are knowledgable about the flora, fauna, and other details of the protected area. SAPM (ANGAP) also works closely with domestic and foreign scientisits to study biodiversity and the impact of visitors on parks and reserves.
Almost all pictures on this site were taken with a Konica Minolta
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