{"id":420852,"date":"2026-03-12T15:56:07","date_gmt":"2026-03-12T14:56:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/?p=420852"},"modified":"2026-03-13T12:59:35","modified_gmt":"2026-03-13T11:59:35","slug":"meet-the-conservationist-dr-amelaid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/story\/meet-the-conservationist-dr-amelaid\/","title":{"rendered":"Meet the conservationist: Dr. Amelaid follows in the footsteps of his childhood hero"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Amela\u00efd Houmadi grew up on an island in the Comoros. At his parental house, nestled at the foot of a mountain range where birds sang at sunrise and rivers flowed, his love for nature began. Today, Dr. Amela\u00efd has founded the Comoros Environmental Research Office (Bureau d\u2019Etudes Environnementale des Comore – BEE Comores), one of the CEPF grantees in Madagascar and the Indian Ocean Islands Hotspot. He is following in the footsteps of his childhood hero. \u2018My new dream is to evolve the conservation efforts from research to action to better protect nature on these islands,\u2019 he shares with us.<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Header photo: Amela\u00efd Houmadi in the Mount Ntringui National Park in Anjouan, monitoring the spread of Dicranopteris linearis to better target priority restoration areas. All photos in this article \u00a9 BEE Comores<\/mark><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Fishing by the coral reefs<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
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During his youth in Mirontsy, a coastal town on the island of Anjouan, nature was part of Dr. Amela\u00efd\u2019s daily life. \u2018From the moment I started at the Koranic school, we had to help the teacher in the fields and find pasture for her goats. That is how I learned about useful plants and farming activities. On Thursdays and Fridays, when the school was closed, we went fishing by the coral reefs. In the afternoon we played in the sea: swimming, looking for shells, diving… At low tide, we played ball at the beach.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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He did not spend his free time only playing. The young Houmadi also helped his family tend the fields, where they cultivated peanuts, beans, cassava, and pigeon peas. All these experiences would later influence his career choices, but there was something else that first inspired his future.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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The Jamy Gourmaud of the Comoros<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
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In the 1990s, television had just arrived in the Comoros. Dr. Houmadi\u2019s favourite show was C’est pas sorcier<\/em> (It’s not rocket science) by Jamy Gourmaud and Fr\u00e9d\u00e9ric Courant. \u2018This show touched my heart deeply as I listened to scientific facts that I did not learn at school, since we no longer had laboratories or conducted scientific experiments. I dreamed of one day becoming the Jamy Gourmaud of the Comoros.\u2019 His dream soon became a reality: \u2018After my studies, I conducted fieldwork in the Ranomafana Forest in Madagascar, just like Jamy Gourmaud.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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\u2018After more than 15 years working with various associations and NGOs, I decided to set up an organisation that could continue to exist and serve others after I am gone.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/div><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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In the following years, Dr. Amela\u00efd worked at different NGOs, including at WWF Madagascar and environmental organisations in the Comoros. \u2018After more than 15 years of experience working with various associations and NGOs, I decided to set up an organisation that would continue to exist and serve others after I am gone.\u2019 In 2023, BEE Comores<\/a> was created. The organisation focusses on research, biodiversity conservation, and promoting a green and blue economy for a resilient and sustainable future. Working with the communities on the islands is central to their approach.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Protecting the Madagascar and the Indian Ocean Islands Biodiversity Hotspot<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Madagascar, the Comoros, Mauritius, and the Seychelles are home to incredible species diversity and extremely high rates of endemism: species that originally only occur here. In addition to its incredible biodiversity, this hotspot provides millions of people with fresh water and other ecosystem services that are essential to their survival.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Supported by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) and together with partners from the islands, IUCN NL forms the Regional Implementation Team (RIT) for this  unique region. As the RIT, we support the development and oversight of a portfolio of 80 to 100 grants to non-governmental organisations, community-based organisations, academic institutions, private companies, and other organisations on the islands.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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BEE Comores received a CEPF grant to implement the project \u2018Improving knowledge of social and ecological impacts to promote sustainable management of coastal and terrestrial ecosystems\u2019 in two priority Key Biodiversity Areas in the Comoros.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Read more about the RIT<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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A biodiversity hotspot<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
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The archipelago of the Comoros is a biodiversity hotspot. Unfortunately, as in many biologically-rich regions, its ecosystems are increasingly under threat. \u2018In Anjouan, and especially in Shisiwani and Mount Ntringui national parks, the main threats to nature are linked to three major pressures: invasive alien species, deforestation and nature degradation caused by people, and the weakening of native and endemic species, especially trees. It has been shown that at least ten native and endemic tree species are at critical risk of extinction, indicating habitat degradation and biodiversity loss.\u2019 Dr. Amela\u00efd explains.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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\u2018Participatory management strategies engage local stakeholders at every stage. The project involved a strong collaboration with the park teams, town halls, village chiefs, and the village co-management committees.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/div><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Small river in Mount Ntringui National Park<\/em>. <\/mark><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Students setting up camp <\/mark><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Engaging local stakeholders<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
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BEE Comores received a CEPF grant to asses the health of natural habitats on Anjouan. The team also proposed participatory management strategies for the protection and conservation of endemic biodiversity and ecosystems. \u2018This means engaging local stakeholders at every stage,\u2019 states the conservationist. \u2018The project involved a strong collaboration with the park teams, town halls, village chiefs, and the village co-management committees. We focused on information and participation by organising meetings, presenting results, and increasing awareness among villagers and community leaders.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Key outcomes of the project:<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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