Summary
Madagascar is one of the world’s most important biodiversity hotspots, home to over 200,000 endemic species. However, decades of deforestation and land degradation have fragmented natural habitats, threatening wildlife, including several species of lemurs and almost 2000 tree species, posing a strong threat to its biodiverse landscape.
Since 2021, Ecosia has supported a large-scale restoration initiative in partnership with Tropical Biodiversity and Social Enterprise SARL (TBSE). To date, the project has supported the growth of over 4.9 million trees, contributing significantly to landscape restoration and community livelihoods.
In 2024, Ecosia applied to certify key sites within this project under The Global Biodiversity Standard (TGBS). The assessment was carried out by the Madagascar TGBS hub hosted by the Missouri Botanical Gardens (MBG) in Madagascar between September 29 and October 5, 2025. The assessment determined that the project did not meet the minimum criteria for TGBS certification.
While obtaining TGBS certification provides important benefits, including recognition and demonstration of strong on-the-ground implementation and commitment to biodiversity outcomes, this case study will illustrate how TGBS assessments still provide important benefits even if certification is not attained. For this project in Madagascar, not meeting the minimum certification criteria served as a crucial turning point for the project. The process identified key areas for improvement in both the project’s objectives and its design, and ultimately provided a clear pathway for improvement that is now reshaping how the project is implemented.
Background
The Lavasoa–Ambatotsirongorongo landscape is located in southern Madagascar near Tolagnaro (Fort Dauphin). Ambatotsirongorongo is a 1,033-hectare Special Reserve, classified as IUCN Category IV, that contains a rare remnant of subhumid montane forest in southeastern Madagascar as well as grassland savannas (Ramahefamanana and Birkinshaw, 2025). The area contains forest fragments situated between dry forest and tropical rainforest, and serves as a transition zone where species from both habitats coexist, making it an important biodiversity hotspot. It is home to rare endemic species such as the nocturnal lemur Microcebus manitatra and the day gecko Phelsuma antanosy (Ramahefamanana and Birkinshaw, 2025).
The main threats to this ecosystem are primarily driven by human land use and resource extraction. The population surrounding the protected area totals just over 45,000 inhabitants, representing approximately 10% of the population of the Tolagnaro district (Ramahefamanana and Birkinshaw, 2025). The practice of tavy (slash-and-burn agriculture) is the leading cause of forest degradation, as forests are cleared and burned to expand subsistence farming for crops such as cassava, sweet potato, rice, and peanuts. In addition, local communities heavily use vahimpiky (Flagellaria indica) for basketry, ropes, construction materials, food, and traditional medicine, creating continuous harvesting pressure on the species.
Livestock management, particularly cattle (zebu), also plays an important socio-economic role but contributes to ecological pressure through grazing practices and associated land use. Fire is another major driver of degradation, with satellite data showing repeated burning within the protected area, highlighting its vulnerability and the ongoing risk of habitat loss (Ramahefamanana and Birkinshaw, 2025).
Combined, these factors have resulted in long-term forest cover loss, with the Ambatotsirongorongo forest declining from around 300 hectares in 1957, to just 25 hectares in 1989 (Ramahefamanana and Birkinshaw, 2025).
The Ecosia and TBSE partnership
Tropical Biodiversity and Social Enterprise SARL (TBSE), is a Madagascar-based organization that works with local communities to advance reforestation, ecosystem restoration, and sustainable livelihood initiatives that support biodiversity conservation. In 2020, a project steering committee was established, comprising Joerg Ganzhorn (University of Hamburg), Giuseppe Donati (Oxford Brookes University), Lloyd Blum and Edgar Flury (Action4Nature consultancy), and Jean-Baptiste Ramanamanjato (TBSE). The committee brought together extensive expertise and experience in Madagascar’s environment and biodiversity.
Together, they developed the “Reforestation and Conservation Action Plan for the Lavasoa–Ambatotsirongorongo Protected Area in Southeast Madagascar,” which advocated for immediate restoration and urgent conservation actions in the area.
The following year (2021) this publication served as the basis for a project proposal submitted to Ecosia, a Berlin-based search engine that dedicates 100% of its profit to climate action. Ecosia partnered and provided multi-year funding for the Lavasoa–Ambatotsirongorongo reforestation project in southern Madagascar aiming to restore fragmented forest ecosystems through large-scale native tree planting and habitat corridor creation.
Working together with local communities, the Ecosia-TBSE project focuses on planting trees to reconnect fragmented forest patches and create ecological corridors. These corridors are essential for enabling wildlife movement, for example, allowing lemurs to travel between forest areas in search of food and mates.
The TGBS Assessment
The Global Biodiversity Standard (TGBS) is an independent assurance standard that assesses whether biodiversity outcomes in nature-based restoration projects and programmes are credible, appropriate and improving over time.
Launched at the UN Convention for Biological Diversity COP 16 in Cali, Colombia, The Global Biodiversity Standard (TGBS) is a site-based certification scheme and mentoring programme that aims to improve biodiversity outcomes throughout the full range of the restoration continuum, including restorative agricultural practices such as agroforestry (Bartholomew et al., 2024).
TGBS has been developed to provide a mechanism to support the 10 golden rules for reforestation (Di Sacco et al. 2021), the Kew Declaration (Kew Declaration 2022) and the implementation of the standards of practice of ecological restoration (Gann et al. 2019).
TGBS addresses biodiversity loss by assessing site management practices and promoting a wide variety of restoration approaches from assisted natural regeneration to biodiverse tree plantings and other forms of recovery in forests and other natural ecosystems.
In 2024, Ecosia commissioned a TGBS assessment of the TBSE project in Madagascar, as part of its first cohort of projects to be assessed under TGBS since its launch. This decision was motivated by Ecosia’s core mission to ensure high quality ecosystem restoration and enhance biodiversity through large-scale tree planting initiatives. Certification under TGBS would provide an independent verification that the project delivers measurable, positive impacts on biodiversity and habitat restoration, while also offering formal recognition that TBSE’s work within the protected area is achieving meaningful ecological outcomes.
In Madagascar, the TGBS hub is hosted by the Missouri Botanical Gardens (MBG) and their team of experts were contracted to carry out the assessment of the TBSE project. As per the TGBS methodology, the team started by setting a clear baseline of the site’s ecological condition and defined the reference ecosystem to measure improvement. They then combined remote sensing analysis to assess landscape-scale habitat changes, with detailed field surveys carried out by local expert botanists and ecologists. These surveys documented changes, between the baseline and the current condition, in species presence and other key attributes, evaluated habitat quality, and identified key conservation threats. In parallel, a social expert conducted a survey examining the relationship between local communities and the restoration project, focusing on the extent of community involvement and the effectiveness of existing safeguarding systems.The project was evaluated across ecosystem integrity, site protection, community engagement, and adaptive management, with scoring focused on measurable biodiversity gains.
Results and Outcomes of the Assessment
For this assessment, the scoring did not meet the threshold for certification. While the minimum scoring for certification is 5 points, the site scored 1.04 out of 10, including negative points under criteria 4 (biodiversity maximization) & 5 (management of invasive species). No criterion may score negative points for certification to be awarded.
First, under Criterion 4 (biodiversity maximization), there was insufficient evidence of species diversity in the planted areas, based on the collected data, indicating that restoration activities have not adequately been increasing the diversity of native plant and animal species. Second, under Criterion 5 (management of invasive species), no measures were implemented to control invasive species. As a result, the invasive Grevillea actually expanded its coverage compared to the previous year.
Additional shortcomings were also identified; community relations showed room for improvement, with a grievance mechanism that did not meet local expectations. Nursery management showed organizational and monitoring gaps, reducing operational effectiveness. Planting schedules were not followed, with activities taking place outside the appropriate rainy season (November–April), including during the dry season (July–August). Finally, seed collection processes lacked structure and did not consistently ensure optimal quality.
While the Ecosia-supported sites with TBSE did not obtain TGBS certification, the process ultimately became a catalyst for improving long-term outcomes across multiple areas.
The following are strategic areas that are currently in the process of being reshaped based on insights revealed through the assessment:
Alignment with TGBS principles: TBSE is now working closely with Missouri Botanical Gardens to align their ecological restoration strategy with TGBS. The TBSE team has received guidance and training on how to implement restoration best practices and has started developing tools to assess compliance. Following the assessment process, MBG and TBSE began collaborating on a strategic restoration plan for the Lavasoa-Ambatotsirongorongo protected area (“Plan de restauration active pour améliorer l’intégrité de l’aire protégée d’Ambatotsirongorongo”) which articulates a 20 year action plan for the protected area. This plan was vetted by Ecosia, who continues to be one of the major funders of the project.
Technical improvements: Production and planting activities are now better aligned with seasonal cycles connecting seed collection, nursery management, and field implementation. Technical practices have also improved through ongoing training in seed collection, storage, propagation, and nursery management, along with the development of practical tools to increase seedling survival and growth. The project also refined its ecological approach by selecting species adapted to local conditions, diversifying production to enhance ecosystem resilience, and integrating rare and threatened species to support conservation objectives. Planting strategies are now better positioned to support natural regeneration and habitat connectivity. Protocols for seed collection, seedling production, planting, and monitoring serve as valuable practical checklists to ensure quality implementation. TBSE also benefited from strategic fire management guidance.
Operational and management improvements: Operational efficiency improved through clearer role distribution, recruitment of permanent staff, and the introduction of monitoring and evaluation systems. Efforts were also made to professionalize and empower local communities by building long-term skills, encouraging entrepreneurship, and integrating local knowledge into restoration practices. Furthermore, it is worthwhile noting that the whole project follows the European project management methodology PM², which provides a structured framework, best practices, and tools to effectively manage projects and achieve results. Overall, operations are now more structured, efficient, and coordinated, while communities are more skilled, engaged, and empowered.
Collaboration and governance: Collaboration between TBSE and MBG has strengthened, with more transparent and participatory governance structures. Responsibilities for performance are shared, and continuous improvement is supported through regular exchanges, technical advice, and shared research on ecological restoration. This support provides confidence in achieving long-term success in terms of quality and tree survival. However, community integration and financial sustainability beyond Ecosia support remain areas that require attention.
A turning point for the Lavasoa–Ambatotsirongorongo landscape
The TGBS assessment was a catalyst for improving project implementation and restoration outcomes, extending its impact beyond its role as solely a certification tool. It underscored the importance of whole-system thinking in ecological restoration, shifting the focus from tree planting alone to more holistic, integrated approaches.
The project is now in the process of aligning itself with the TGBS criteria, with future funding tied to ongoing compliance verified through independent audits, ensuring sustained quality, maximum biodiversity recovery, and improved livelihoods, while also strengthening funder confidence through transparent and measurable outcomes.
TGBS support has strengthened the Ecosia–TBSE project by improving its structure, technical rigour, and planning. The project follows a 20-year restoration framework, operationalised through annual work plans. While progress has been strong on technical aspects, forest, community, and biodiversity management plans still require further development to fully meet the TGBS requirements. Strengthening these components remains essential for long-term sustainability as the TGBS Hub Madagascar–TBSE partnership continues to build capacity and trust. Finally, TGBS now serves as an additional layer of quality assurance for Ecosia for this project in Madagascar.
With TGBS guidance, the Ecosia–TBSE project is transitioning toward a more resilient, biodiverse, and community-driven restoration model. By strengthening ecological integrity and local governance, the project is better positioned to restore Madagascar’s unique ecosystems and protect its wildlife in the long term.
References
- Bartholomew et al. (2024) The Global Biodiversity Standard: Manual for assessment and best practices. Available at: https://www.biodiversitystandard.org/our-method/(Accessed: 1 April 2026).
- Ramahefamanana, N. and Birkinshaw, C. (2025) Plan de restauration active pour améliorer l’intégrité de l’aire protégée d’Ambatotsirongorongo. 30 November. November 2025.
- Flury, E. (2026) Personal communication (email).
- Ramanamanjato, J.B. (2026) Personal communication (email).
- Ramahefamanana, N. (2026) Personal communication (email).
- Van Midwoud, P. (2026) Personal communication (video call).
