Madagascar Research Paper

The fifth largest island in the world, Madagascar, is located off the east coast of Africa. Madagascar is made up of many ecosystems which include: tropical dry forests, deserts, plateaus, and rain forests. One of the most important ecosystems in Madagascar are the forests. In these forests, lies hundreds of animal species, including endangered and unique mammals such as lemurs and thousands of plant species that grow throughout the island. The forests of Madagascar are some of the most endangered habitats in the biosphere due to human interactions with the environment.
In reality, harmful human interactions towards the forests of Madagascar were created because of the poverty among them. Communities throughout Madagascar are in need of natural resources such as food, employment and their health. People in these …show more content…
Tavy is the process of turning Madagascar’s tropical rainforests into rice fields. This is the most beneficial way for the families of Madagascar to provide for themselves. In addition, people in these communities are cutting down the endemic spiny forests at an alarming rate in Madagascar for charcoal production. The alluaudia trees, which are the nearest plant source, are being cut down by local people who sell the charcoal from the sides of the roads in Madagascar. Also, logging for timber has endangered the environment of Madagascar. Local people are logging for timber to provide natural resources which include: fuel wood, as wood for construction, for medicinal purposes, carving, and other purposes. The rainforest plants of Madagascar, which are also being harvested, have been proven to address many different kinds of medical problems. Overall, poverty has taken a toll on the lives of people in the communities of Madagascar and in order for these people to survive they have to endanger the environment around