Lake Tseny: How communities are restoring nature and building climate resilience in Madagascar 

Madagascar and the Indian ocean islands are a biodiversity hotspot – a group of islands with incredible species diversity and extremely high rates of endemism.  
To protect and preserve these species that exists nowhere else in the world and are threatened by climate change, IUCN NL and its partners in Madagascar, Comoros, Mauritius and the Seychelles are guiding ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) and conservation projects with funding from the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund CEPF. 
In a series of articles, we highlight some of these powerful projects. 

Header photo: Lake Tseny @Madagasikara Voakajy

Around Lake Tseny in western Madagascar, protecting nature is not only about saving endangered species. It is also about securing water, food, livelihoods and a more resilient future for thousands of people.  

Since April 2024, Madagasikara Voakajy and its partners have been implementing a 33-month climate resilience project around Lake Tseny with support from the CEPF. The initiative combines ecosystem restoration, such as ecological restoration around the lake and climate-smart livelihoods like testing crop diversification and soil conservation to strengthen the resilience of both people and nature. 

Over the past two years, local communities have shown that when conservation and community development go hand in hand, ecosystems can become powerful allies in adapting to climate change. 

Photo: Damba menarambo @Madagasikara Voakajy

A lake of global importance 

Lake Tseny is one of Madagascar’s most remarkable freshwater ecosystems. It is the only known home of the Damba menarambo (Paretroplus menarambo), an endemic fish species that was once believed extinct in the wild until it was rediscovered by the team of Madagasikara Voakajy in 2008. Today, the species remains Critically Endangered, making the lake a site of exceptional conservation value. 

The lake is also recognized as a Key Biodiversity Area and an Alliance for Zero Extinction site because of the rare and threatened species it supports. Alongside the Damba menarambo, the area provides refuge for endangered wildlife including Madagascar’s big-headed turtle, the Madagascar fish eagle, flying foxes and several endemic fish and plant species. 

But Lake Tseny is not only important for wildlife. More than 4,000 people depend on its waters for fishing, agriculture and everyday household needs. The health of the lake directly affects the well-being of surrounding communities. 

Nature as a solution to climate challenges 

As climate change increases pressure on rural livelihoods, protecting ecosystems has become an essential adaptation strategy. Communities understood that healthy ecosystems would help them to withstand environmental shocks. Forests reduce erosion, improve water quality and regulate water flow. Sustainable fisheries help secure food and income. Well-managed natural resources reduce vulnerability and strengthen resilience over time. At Lake Tseny, these principles guide a community-driven effort to restore landscapes, improve governance and support local livelihoods.

Photo: Group patrol @Madagasikara Voakajy

Communities at the heart of conservation 

One of the strengths of the initiative has been its strong local ownership. Community organizations (VOIs), local authorities, traditional leaders, fishers, women’s groups and residents have all participated in planning and implementing activities. Local coordinators were appointed within communities, responsibilities were shared among stakeholders, and local customs and traditions were respected throughout the process. Rather than imposing solutions from outside, the project builds on local knowledge and encourages communities to become active stewards of their natural resources. 

Towards more equitable conservation governance 

Successful conservation depends not only on protecting habitats but also on ensuring that decisions are made fairly, transparently and inclusively. To strengthen local governance, the project uses the Site-level Assessment of Governance and Equity (SAGE) tool. SAGE provides a structured process through which community organizations, local authorities and resource users assess how natural resources are governed and identify practical actions to improve decision-making. It also assesses whether a site’s governance is equitable, inclusive and respects the rights of local people. 

Through facilitated discussions, stakeholders examine issues such as participation, transparency, accountability, respect for rights and equitable access to benefits. The results are then used to design capacity-building programmes and governance improvement plans for community-based organizations and others stakeholders managing the Lake Tseny landscape. 

By strengthening local institutions and empowering communities to participate meaningfully in resource management, the initiative aims to ensure that conservation outcomes are both effective and socially equitable. One of the project’s targets is to demonstrate measurable improvements in local governance through increased SAGE scores and the successful renewal of community natural resource management agreements. 

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The SAGE approach is helping communities around Lake Tseny strengthen governance and ensure more equitable conservation outcomes. 

Restoring forests, protecting the future 

One of the project’s most visible achievements has been ecological restoration around the lake and across its watershed. 

Working together, communities established more than 1,190 hectares of passive restoration areas and 176 hectares of active restoration areas. Between 2025 and 2026, 110.8 hectares regenerated naturally, while 6.8 hectares were actively replanted. These efforts are not only helping biodiversity recover. They are also strengthening the natural systems that protect soils, maintain water quality and support the long-term health of the lake. 

The restoration work has been complemented by the introduction of climate-smart agricultural practices, including agroforestry, crop diversification and soil conservation techniques designed to help farmers adapt to increasingly unpredictable weather conditions. Thirty-three local pioneers have already begun testing these approaches, and twelve of them are being trained as farmer trainers who will help spread these techniques throughout communities surrounding the lake. 

Photo: Bats resting @Madagasikara Voakajy

Keeping watch over a precious ecosystem 

Effective conservation depends on good information. Between 2024 and 2026, trained community patrol teams travelled more than 2,000 kilometers through forest habitats and 716 kilometers across the lake to monitor ecosystem health and identify threats before they become more serious. These patrols provide valuable information for local decision-making while reinforcing the role of communities as guardians of their environment. Patrol members have also received training and equipment to strengthen restoration monitoring, fire prevention and natural resource management efforts. 

Building financial resilience 

Climate resilience is not only about ecosystems. It is also about people’s ability to cope with difficult times. To strengthen household resilience, local Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) were established around the lake. Between 2025 and 2026, 11 savings groups became operational, bringing together 222 households, representing approximately 26% of households in the area. 

Already, seven groups have completed their first savings cycle and distributed funds among participating households. Families are using these resources to invest in agriculture, small businesses and other income-generating activities that help them navigate economic and climate-related challenges. For many households, these savings groups provide an important safety net while strengthening community solidarity and self-reliance. 

A model of hope 

The story of Lake Tseny shows that conservation and community development do not have to compete with one another. In fact, they can reinforce each other. By restoring forests, promoting climate-smart agriculture, strengthening local governance through the SAGE approach, monitoring biodiversity and expanding VSLAs, local people are helping to secure both a globally important ecosystem and their own future. 

As climate change continues to affect vulnerable communities across Madagascar, Lake Tseny offers an inspiring example of Ecosystem-based Adaptation in action. The project demonstrates that resilience is built not only through healthy ecosystems, but also through empowered communities capable of managing natural resources fairly, effectively and collectively.