Environmental governance: the Voahary Gasy expecting a suit against the state

Following its denunciation of the interdepartmental decree pledging legality to Rhodes Oil Plants export to the State Council, the Voahary Gasy alliance is expecting for a trial. The target is the government, and the recovery of all the tax and fine money through its condemnation. The transitional government justified this extraordinary measure by the existence of a cut timber cargo, and also, and indeed, by the 72 millions ariary of financial manna to be harvested as fine per container. Ecologists put it this way: “an illegal practice has been legalized! “; and emphatically remind the absolute ban on non processed wood exports.  

Even though a slight part of the legalized operation’s returns exports is dedicated to regional development as well as environmental protection, the Voahary Gasy alliance is not yet satisfied with it. It actually wants the State to dedicate the full amount to these projects. Ecologist and their symbolic sanction, thus, disown the government. Ndranto Razakamanarina, president of Voahary Gasy is keeping the pressure up. “We are expecting for justice’s wisdom” he argued… The alliance is considering the decree as a short term solution with very far reaching consequences: “the problem in Madagascar is the complete lack of long-term vision”   

The cancellation of the interdepartmental decree is what matters for ecologists, so that it never come true again. “Environmental governance is closely linked with precious wood”, argued Ndranto Razakamanarina. “The country’s wealth is being devoured whereas the partial management is not benefiting the majority”. He regretted the exceptional authorization’s consequences: the stimulation of depredation throughout protected areas. According to the alliance, a correct and rational exploitation of primary forests will be even more advantageous for the state. “One or two precious timber cut by hectare per year can return up to 200 millions US dollars. The country still has some 30 millions ha of primary forests”.  

On the ground, the Voahary Gasy alliance is straining to promote the” kolo ala “, the preservation of newly planted trees following the restoration campaign. The operation will be launched from the commune of Fihaonana in Ankazobe, on February 20th, 2010. THe objective remains the enhancement of the correctly growing trees rate. The alliance is rating a restoration of 40 000 ha of forests per year to be needed in order to cover the Malagasy need for wood. This intensive campaign would have to be held over ten years. All of the campaign’s operation would cost some 300 US dollars per Ha.    

TO this end, ecologists are promoting new wood varieties which grow quickly, and subsequently turn out top quality wood. These new varieties are, besides, literally ecological, since they are said to cause no damages to soils’ fertility. The paulownia, nowadays’ chart’s top plant variety, is grown up after ten years, but bound to be exploited after only five years. Palissander wood reaches a 2 m height in five years. Its subsequent growth looks eternal thereafter, as its adult height is to be reached after more than half a century.