Madagascar’s ecosystem is one of the most threatened on the planet. A nation comprised of subsistence farmers, Malagasy people do not have the luxury to see beyond their daily needs to consider the long-term consequences of deforestation.
Nevertheless, there is an air of optimism in the small village of Andasibe. The film follows the grassroots efforts of community members galvanized to save not only their landscape, but also their longevity as a community. Their solution? Turning the remaining forest into a park, to both embolden locals to protect it and to spur financially supportive tourism from outsiders.
Working against these efforts is the mindset of the everyday community member struggling to survive, continuing to practice slash and burn agriculture, making charcoal out of native trees, and engaging in illegal sales of rare hardwoods.
Visit the filmmakers’ website to learn more about the film.
