Harmonious Protected Landscape · North-West Madagascar · Protected Areas of Madagascar
Ampasindava
Harmonious Protected Landscape
A vast mosaic of intact lowland rainforest, sacred massifs and mangrove shores in north-west Madagascar — home to local endemic species and the ancestral lands of the Sakalava Bemihisatra.
About the protected area
A protected landscape of the north-west
The Ampasindava Harmonious Protected Landscape is located in north-west Madagascar, covering 91,790 hectares. Established in 2015, it incorporates the former Classified Forests of Andranomatavy and Anjanozano-Bandrany (1963 — 21,950 ha) as well as part of the Bezavona classified forest (1960 — 4,205 ha). It is managed by Association Famelona. Further protected areas across Madagascar can be found on the Maison de Madagascar website.
The manager maintains an administrative office in Ambanja and two base camps at Bemaneviky Ouest and Ambariomena. Accommodation is provided by hotels scattered around the Bay of Russians and Barimahamay. A tent shelter for four guests is available at Ambariomena, the departure point for two circuits: the Belle-vue circuit offering panoramic views of the forests and Barimahamay Bay, and the Fomba circuit exploring cultural and sacred sites.
Visit and stay arrangements — including camping and provisions — are to be discussed with the Famelona team in Ambanja before departure.
Fauna and Flora
Intact lowland rainforest, endemic at every level
The Andranomatavy massif and parts of the Betsitsika area are clothed in intact, low-altitude evergreen humid forest. Canopy species on the summits include Uapaca, Symphonia, Calophyllum, Ambavia, Faucherea, and Diospyros. The north-western peninsula supports a dense evergreen humid forest of Strychnos madagascariensis, Mascarenhasia arborescens, and Dalbergia chapelieri. Mangroves — of the same species found throughout Indian Ocean shores — fringe the river mouths.
Three plant species are known only from Ampasindava: Calyptranthera viridiflava (Apocynaceae), Lindernia natans (Linderniaceae), and Prockiopsis grandis (Achariaceae). The protected area is equally remarkable for its local endemic fauna, including the amphibian Cophyla berara and the gecko Phelsuma vanheygeni.
Culture and Heritage
Sakalava Bemihisatra and the sacred massifs
The protected area is the ancestral territory of the Sakalava Bemihisatra, a community also found on Nosy Be. Their customs and traditions continue to be practised within the sacred massifs of Andranomatavy, reflecting a living relationship between the people and the forest that surrounds them.
The main pressures bearing on the protected landscape are slash-and-burn agriculture, selective timber harvesting, and charcoal production from mangrove wood.
Identified threats
Tourist circuits
Two trails through forest, viewpoint and sacred sites
The area around Ambariomena offers two circuits, each with a distinct character. Visit and stay arrangements are to be discussed with the Famelona team in Ambanja before departure.
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Belle-vue Circuit
Ambariomena
Panoramic viewpoint overlooking the forests and Barimahamay Bay -
Fomba Circuit
Ambariomena
Cultural and sacred heritage sites within the protected landscape
Location
North-West Madagascar, Ampasindava Peninsula
The Ampasindava Harmonious Protected Landscape is accessible by boat from Ankify or Nosy Be, and via local fishing boats from Maromandia (85 km south of Ambanja). All visit arrangements should be coordinated in advance with the Famelona office in Ambanja.