Grounded in science

Our work is grounded in community partnerships and uncompromising science.

From community empowerment to bioeconomic modelling of marine reserves, all our conservation programmes are led by local communities and guided by rigorous scientific analysis.

Underwater explorers complete Barren Isles exploratory cruise

During the voyage, marine biologists have collected important scientific data, documenting local conservation issues and raised awareness of the conservation value of marine resources. The expedition has been reporting its findings online; producing films and news reports.

Follow the team's sea faring adventures aboard the Nofy Be and keep up to date with exciting scientific discoveries through the Barren Isles Exploratory Expedition blog.

See the results of some of our scientific research programmes, and how we’re converting data to action.


Global Human Footprint on the Linkage between Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning in Reef Fishes, Apr. 2011	L’utilisation du dina comme outil de gouvernance des ressources naturelles : leçons tirés de Velondriake, sud-ouest de Madagascar, Dec. 2010	Foraging for Development: a Comparison of Food insecurity, Production, and risk among Farmers, Forest Foragers, and marine Foragers in Southwestern Madagascar, Nov. 2010


Using community members to assess artisanal fisheries: the marine turtle fishery in Madagascar, Sept. 2010	The South West Madagascar Tortoise Survey Project, 2010	Provisional summary report; the south west Madagascar tortoise survey project, 2010


Demise of Madagascar's once great barrier reef - change in coral reef condition over 40 years, Mar. 2010	Community creation and management of the Velondriake marine protected area, 2009	Understanding migration amongst the traditional fishers of West Madagascar, 2009


Vezo Fishing: An introduction to the methods used by fishers in Andavadoaka, Southwest Madagascar, 2009	From hatchery to community - Madagacar's first village based Holothurian Mariculture programme, Jun. 2009	Biodiversity and health of coral reefs at pilot sites south of Toliara WWF Southern Toliara Marine NaturalResource Management project MG 0910.01, 2009


Mapping Velondriake: the application of bathymetric and marine habitat mapping to support conservation planning, southwest Madagascar, 2009	Évaluation socio-économique de base de l’Aire Protégée communautaire Velondriake, sud-ouest de Madagascar, 2008	Rapid changes in fish utilisation of mangrove habitat in Western Madagascar, Jul. 2008


Socioeconomic Monitoring Initiative for Velondriake Community Managed Protected Area, Madagascar, Apr. 2008	An assessment of the migratory flow of Megaptera novaeangliae along the southwest coast of Madagascar, 2008	Environmental Education in Andavadoaka, Madagascar: Building Community Support and Capacity for Conservation, 2008