Zoos in the Netherlands to plant 1 million trees in Madagascar rainforest project

Thirteen Dutch zoos are joining forces on a conservation project in Madagascar that aims to plant 1 million trees and restore rainforest habitat for endangered species, the Dutch Zoo Association reported.

The effort centers on 250 hectares of rainforest within Ranomafana National Park, a protected area about 400 kilometers south of Antananarivo. The site is roughly five times the size of Amsterdam’s Vondelpark.

The planting program will use native tree species and involve local communities. The mix includes hardwood trees and fruit-bearing species that provide food for wildlife.

Madagascar, an island known for its exceptionally high level of biodiversity and species found nowhere else in the world, has lost around 80 percent of its original vegetation over time. Widespread poverty largely contributes to the loss, and many of the island's unique species now face the threat of extinction.

“Their future depends primarily on protecting their habitat in the wild,” the Dutch Zoo Association said, emphasizing the importance of habitat conservation.

Participating zoos include ARTIS in Amsterdam, Diergaarde Blijdorp in Rotterdam, and Safaripark Beekse Bergen in Hilvarenbeek, as well as 10 other Dutch zoological parks.

Dutch TV biologist Mátyás Bittenbinder is serving as ambassador for the initiative and is producing a YouTube series documenting the project in Madagascar.

The reforestation work also connects to other ongoing efforts on the island, including a project by Dutchman Simon Rietveld, who has been creating a large forest area in western Madagascar since 2000.