National Biodiversity Strategy Research Articles

FLORAS OF THE MIDDLE EAST: A QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS AND BIOGEOGRAPHY OF THE FLORA OF IRAQ

The descriptive flora of Iraq is incomplete, with ± 900 species yet to be described. However, names of all species with their distribution in the different physiographic districts of Iraq are databased (in BRAHMS) from information obtained from published sources and herbarium records. A quantitative analysis of the flora shows ± 3300 species (accepted names) in 908 genera belonging to 136 families of flowering plants. The families Asteraceae (409 spp.), Fabaceae (393 spp.), Poaceae (264 spp.), Brassicaceae (195 spp.) and Apiaceae (155 spp.) are the largest. An analysis of the distribution of the flora in the different physiographic regions and districts of Iraq shows the Mountain Region (northern mountains of Iraq) and the Central Alluvial Plains District in the Lower Mesopotamian Region to be the most species rich. Iraq is influenced by two major phytochoria, the Saharo-Sindian and the Irano-Turanian, which are subdivided into regional phytochoria specific to the Middle East region. Endemism is high in the Irano-Turanian region of Iraq which occupies the Mountain and major part of the Upper Plains and Foothills Regions. These Regions also contain the majority of the endemic and near endemic species. Biodiversity surveys carried out by Nature Iraq during 2005–2010 propose 88 Key Biodiversity Areas in Iraq. The National Report on Biodiversity in Iraq (CBD) outlines the threats to biodiversity and habitats in Iraq and a National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan for the protection and conservation of species-rich and biodiverse habitats.

Are national biodiversity strategies and action plans appropriate for building responsibilities for mainstreaming biodiversity across policy sectors? The case of Finland

The Convention on Biological Diversity's national biodiversity strategies and action plans (NBSAPs) are major mechanisms for mainstreaming biodiversity into national policies. This article examines whether and how the NBSAPs contribute to mainstreaming biodiversity across policy sectors in Finland in order to halt biodiversity loss. We have developed an innovative analytical framework where the concept of responsibility addresses how motivations for mainstreaming can be built, and the concept of social learning outcomes addresses the extent of institutional changes for biodiversity. The Finnish NBSAP processes have been able to build diverse forms of responsibility (liability, accountability, responsiveness and care) in different policy sectors by providing new knowledge, careful process design and developing institutional linkages. Despite pro-biodiversity outcomes in the targeted policy sectors, the responsibilities do not diffuse from the environmental administration to other policy sectors to a sufficient extent. Closing this ‘responsibility gap’ is a key challenge for building effective environmental policies.

Multi-level natural resources governance based on local community: A case study on semi-natural grassland in Tarōji, Nara, Japan

Japan is facing a bio-diversity crisis as a result of rapid industrialisation. The Japanese Ministry of the Environment formulated a National Biodiversity Strategy based on the Convention on Biological Diversity signed at the Earth Summit in 1992. After an amendment in 2002, the National Biodiversity Strategy addressed three crises in biodiversity: over-exploitation and development that destroys habitats, underutilisation (the satoyama problem) and artificially introduced factors (chemicals, alien species and so on). This paper focuses on the second problem. Secondary natural environments called satoyama have been created and maintained over the centuries by human activity. Because natural environments in Japan have been affected by human-induced disturbances for 35,000 years, many species have evolved in response to these disturbances. If the human activities cease, many of the species that have evolved to survive in managed environments become threatened. Many satoyama have been managed as commonage or common lands, called iriai in Japan. One natural resource system created by commoners is semi-natural grassland, and economic modernisation has led to abandonment of traditional management practices on these grasslands – one of the more evident changes in Japanese iriai practices. Before industrialisation, semi-natural grasslands were managed as a source of green manure, as a harvest for roofing materials (thatch) and as pasture for animals. After industrialisation, however, introduction of chemical fertilizers, changes in building practices and importation of animal feeds rapidly decreased the use value of these grasslands for local residents. On the other hand, their value as public goods – as historical, cultural landscapes and places of biodiversity – which concern a much broader population than the local community – became relatively more important. The resulting problem is how to manage this resource with its new value for new beneficiaries. This paper examines the multi-level management of a semi-natural grassland at Tarōji, in Soni village, in Nara prefecture. In Soni village, members of the local community provide key management input, while local government at the village and prefecture levels share management costs.

Multi-level natural resources governance based on local community: A case study on semi-natural grassland in Tarōji, Nara, Japan

Japan is facing a bio-diversity crisis as a result of rapid industrialisation. The Japanese Ministry of the Environment formulated a National Biodiversity Strategy based on the Convention on Biological Diversity signed at the Earth Summit in 1992. After an amendment in 2002, the National Biodiversity Strategy addressed three crises in biodiversity: over-exploitation and development that destroys habitats, underutilisation (the <span class="italic">satoyama</span> problem) and artificially introduced factors (chemicals, alien species and so on). This paper focuses on the second problem. Secondary natural environments called <span class="italic">satoyama</span> have been created and maintained over the centuries by human activity. Because natural environments in Japan have been affected by human-induced disturbances for 35,000 years, many species have evolved in response to these disturbances. If the human activities cease, many of the species that have evolved to survive in managed environments become threatened. Many <span class="italic">satoyama</span> have been managed as commonage or common lands, called <span class="italic">iriai</span> in Japan. One natural resource system created by commoners is semi-natural grassland, and economic modernisation has led to abandonment of traditional management practices on these grasslands – one of the more evident changes in Japanese <span class="italic">iriai</span> practices. Before industrialisation, semi-natural grasslands were managed as a source of green manure, as a harvest for roofing materials (thatch) and as pasture for animals. After industrialisation, however, introduction of chemical fertilizers, changes in building practices and importation of animal feeds rapidly decreased the use value of these grasslands for local residents. On the other hand, their value as public goods – as historical, cultural landscapes and places of biodiversity – which concern a much broader population than the local community – became relatively more important. The resulting problem is how to manage this resource with its new value for new beneficiaries. This paper examines the multi-level management of a semi-natural grassland at Tarōji, in Soni village, in Nara prefecture. In Soni village, members of the local community provide key management input, while local government at the village and prefecture levels share management costs. <div class="keywords"><div id="idp24048" class="title"> </div></div>

Wie viel Wildnis für die Schweiz? Ein Diskussionsbeitrag (Essay)

How much wilderness in Switzerland? A contribution to the debate (essay) In national biodiversity strategies, various goals are proposed for how much wilderness there should be, and how much forest should be left to develop according to natural ecosystem processes. This article aims to quantify these objectives. It presents and discusses the state of knowledge about the need for wilderness, the potential to satisfy this need, and the necessary minimum size for wilderness areas. On this basis, it calculates how much wilderness is desirable and possible in Switzerland. For wilderness areas in category Ib of the World Conservation Union (IUCN), a minimum size of 1,000 ha in the Alpine region and 500 ha in the rest of the country is proposed. These areas should be distributed according to ecosystem type and cover about 8% of the land area.

Review of Strategies and Action Plans to Preserve Biodiversity in the Countries of West Asia in the Context of the Convention on Biological Diversity

The research aimed at revealing some of the features of the biodiversity planning process in the countries of West Asia by comparing the content of national biodiversity strategies and action plans (NBSAPs) developed in the framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The preparation mechanism of the strategies and States’ compliance Documents with the provisions of the Convention were also analyzed. of )NBSAPs( were obtained from the Secretariat of the CBD and the official websites of the concerned countries. Cluster analysis of NBSAPs objectives showed average similarity of 89.8% among NBSAPs of countries in the region and an average of 94.3% between NBSAPs objectives and the convention’s. Number of strategy objectives differ among strategies, nevertheless, similarity exists in preparation mechanism and strategies references. NBSAPs are characterized by the weaknesses of public participation and a notable absence of the role of the private sector. The setup process was limited in some countries to a team of few technicians and limited consultative mechanisms. Sectoral planning dominated most of NBSAPs processes and strategies were mostly dependent on external funding. Common objectives of NBSAPs were similar as they include; pursuing biodiversity conservation, sustainable use of its components, and fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources. Goals of the strategies varied among NBSAPs in terms of distribution and relation to the objectives of the convention, which formed the basis for the formulation of the objectives of NBSAPs. Economic tools were absent in valuation of biodiversity and the implications of its degradation. Furthermore, the goals of the NBSAPs were not linked to other national strategies goals, thus activities of synergistic nature were not materialized in the plan of work. Use of well defined indicators Institutional, administrative, regulatory, inadequate was absent too. financial resources and shortages of experts were the most common obstacles faced planning process. It is suggested that integrated planning that enables wide public participation and ecosystem based approach, which insures integration of development strategies, as well as inclusion of classified indicators be adopted in the preparation and formulation of the second generation of NBSAPs in the countries of the region.

Global conservation and management of biodiversity in developing countries: An opportunity for a new approach

Abstract The twelfth Conference of the Parties for the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) meets in the Republic of Korea, 6–17 October 2014. That meeting marks the half-way point for implementation of the decade-long set of targets (the Aichi Targets) agreed at the tenth Conference of the Parties (Nagoya, Japan, October 2010), and poses a real test for the parties. We contend it also offers considerable opportunity to redefine ways and means for funding and awareness raising for the conservation and management of biodiversity, especially in developing countries. Using the adopted, but as yet poorly implemented, mechanism of National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans (NBSAPs) we argue much can be accelerated to ensure that by 2020 the Aichi Targets will have been implemented and that the vision that “by 2050, biodiversity is valued, conserved, restored and wisely used, maintaining ecosystem services, sustaining a healthy planet and delivering benefits essential for all people” will be within reach. On the other hand, lack or loss of momentum on outreach about, and funding for, biodiversity especially in the global south could see continued declines in the health of ecosystems.

Initial assessment of coastal benthic communities in the Marine Parks at Robinson Crusoe Island

The National Biodiversity Strategy developed in Chile aims to protect 10% of the surface area of the most relevant marine ecosystems. The waters around the Juan Fernandez Archipelago were not protected until 2014, when a Multiple Use Marine Protected Area was created in the 12 nautical miles around the archipelago, which includes five marine parks in sites of high conservation value. Three of these parks are located around Robinson Crusoe Island. This study aims to define a baseline for monitoring the impact of the marine protected area and provides ecological information to improve the understanding of coastal marine ecosystems around Robinson Crusoe Island. In addition to a characterization of bathymetry and habitats, intertidal and subtidal communities were sampled using transects and quadrats within the marine parks. We quantified species richness and abundances, which were later organized into functional groups for algae and trophic groups for mobile organisms. Although species richness did not vary between sites nor among the habitats sampled, we observed important differences in species abundance and composition as well as in functional and trophic groups both between sites and habitats. Among our results, we highlight: a) the dominance of endemic algae in intertidal and subtidal (mainly corticated and corticated foliose) habitats, b) high abundances of macroinvertebrate herbivores in intertidal habitats and detrivores in subtidal habitats, c) dominance of invertivorous fish in the subtidal, which are the primary predators of mobile benthic organisms. This characterization includes both the inter and subtidal coastal communities of the Juan Fernandez Archipelago.

From Manaus to Maputo: toward a public health and biodiversity framework.

The linkages between human health, biodiversity, ecosystems, and the life-supporting services that they provide are varied and complex. The traditional neglect of this nexus by policy-makers perpetuates threats posed to ecosystems with potentially critical impacts on global health. The Convention on Biological Diversity and the World Health Organization recently co-convened two regional workshops on these intricate but vital linkages. From discussions held with policy-makers and experts in the biodiversity and health sectors, spanning some 50 countries in Africa and the Americas, we derive a broad framework for the development of national and regional public health and biodiversity strategies relevant to strategic planning processes in the emerging post-2015 development context.

Conservation of Biodiversity in the Pacific Islands of Oceania: Challenges and Opportunities

Pacific Island biodiversity has a notorious record of decline and extinction which continues due to habitat loss and degradation, invasive species, overexploitation, pollution, disease and human-forced climate change. In terrestrial systems, these global and local pressures are more acute because of relatively small land to sea area, high endemism and poor adaptations to resist predation. Regional policy and learning frameworks exist to combat biodiversity loss and environmental degradation, but implementation remains patchy across the 22 Pacific Island countries and territories (PICTs) within Oceania. PICTs are challenged by small, under-resourced government departments, limited data, and strong political will for rapid economic development at the cost of ecological sustainability. In this synthesis of the special issue, we identify the challenges and opportunities for biodiversity conservation on Pacific islands. We identified bright spots of implementation occurring through regional initiatives, knowledge-sharing networks, and community-based management. The challenge looms large, given the relatively small-scale efforts compared to the core drive for development of natural resources which continues to pervade island communities. Five key initiatives promise improved conservation effectiveness: 1) alignment of national biodiversity strategies to the Aichi Targets, under the Convention on Biological Diversity; 2) increased engagement with local communities to promote wise stewardship and local environmental monitoring; 3) dissemination of best practice guidelines for management through learning networks; 4) cost-benefit analyses that drive investment in biosecurity and invasive control; and 5) implementation of integrated island management that accounts for the multiple synergistic benefits of ecosystem management (e.g., climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction, improved health).

Financial costs and benefits of a program of measures to implement a National Strategy on Biological Diversity in Germany

The implementation of the National Biodiversity Strategies and Actions Plans (NBSAP), as required by Article 6 of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), would improve the base for political decisions by quantifying the costs and benefits of biodiversity conservation in monetary terms and by illustrating the benefits of related ecosystem services (ESS). However, so far the costs and benefits of the NBSAP have not been routinely estimated. This paper presents results from research quantifying the financial costs and benefits of implementing a set of measures based on the National Strategy on Biological Diversity in Germany (NBS). Based on the NBS and the Quality Status Reports of the EU Habitat Directive, a conservation program was developed consisting of land use changes for six ecosystems/land use types: forests, arable land, grassland, peatlands, wetlands and dry habitats. In addition to the benefits of maintaining biodiversity, two potential ESS benefits of the NBS, water purification and climate mitigation, are estimated as well as the financial costs of implementation. A nationwide contingent valuation study was undertaken to determine the benefits of maintaining biodiversity as a result of the conservation program. The benefits of the conservation program with regard to the ESS water purification are calculated for N-reduction in the leachate and based on abatement costs. The contribution of nature conservation to climate mitigation is calculated for the avoidance of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and based on damage costs. The results of the study indicate that the implementation of the NBS would lead to significant financial costs, but the benefits would exceed the financial costs of measures.

Revisiting national frameworks for biodiversity conservation: main driving forces of success

Mounting human insecurities in the Middle East fueled by political and environmental challenges are hindering biodiversity conservation and development ventures. Authoritarian political regimes have all but paralysed the evolution of social dynamics and economic growth that should have led towards improved environmental and natural resources management. While the majority of countries in the region have developed National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs), many have failed to prioritise biodiversity conservation. Records of achievements reflect incomplete mosaics of various internationally and regionally funded conservation projects. The post-ratification process of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Lebanon resulted in the birth of novel institutional, regulatory and administrative frameworks, and initiated reform in existing ones. Strong initiatives spearheaded by Lebanese government agencies, international and regional organisations, research and academic institutions, as well as civil societies and NGOs, backstopped the implementation of the NBSAP. As is the case with most countries, however, the efficacy of conservation strategies and practices remains under focus, mostly shedding light on the need for mainstreaming biodiversity conservation into national policies and for institutional reform as well as repairing broken bridges between all stakeholders. The proposed holistic approach summarises a simplified vision, which entails environmental citizenship, institutional reform and social responsibilities, and categorises these factors as the driving forces behind the success of implementing the NBSAPs.

Linking biodiversity conservation and poverty reduction: de‐polarizing the conservation‐poverty debate

AbstractThe published literature leads the reader to expect polarization between conservation and development communities as to the relationship between biodiversity conservation and poverty alleviation. A survey of over 1,000 conservation and development professionals does not, however, support this depiction. Indeed it reveals a surprising consensus of opinion that there is a positive link between biodiversity conservation and poverty alleviation. Where there is some division, is over the direction of that link—conservation as a means to poverty alleviation, or poverty alleviation as a means to conservation—but again conservation and development organizations appear equally divided in their views. Extreme positions often dominate policy debates, hindering progress towards effective, integrated approaches. Our analysis indicates that this may be true of the conservation‐poverty debate. Debate is needed not on whether conservation and poverty are linked and whose role it is to address each agenda but on how to develop conservation and development programmes that find integrated solutions to shared challenges. This could greatly inform the process of revising national biodiversity strategies that has recently been started by Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and which potentially present a real opportunity for linking conservation and development in policy and practice.

Governance approaches in Swiss forest biodiversity policy: Do they really work?

New forms of governance are detected in the Swiss forest reserve policy, a policy in the field of forest biodiversity, and they have helped its implementation. A survey on the implementation status of the Swiss forest reserve concept in the cantons shows that (1) governance elements are clearly favored over traditional command-and-control regulations, (2) 6.6% of the Swiss forest area is delimited forest reserves, (3) large forest reserves are still missing in most of the cantons. Impeding factors can be a lack of conviction of the forest owners, a complicated ownership structure or the weak financial condition of a canton. Improvements may be achieved by increasing consultation and financial incentives or through a purchase of ecologically valuable areas by the Confederation and the cantons.Until now, the Swiss forest reserve policy lacks integration with interacting policies such as climate policy. Climate change could promote forest reserves as sinks for carbon dioxide. Yet this could be counteracted by the support of timber as renewable energy. Integration between forest reserve policy and interacting policies needs to be strengthened, especially with respect to the biodiversity policy (national biodiversity strategy; Convention on Biological Diversity).

Valuing the benefits of implementing a national strategy on biological diversity—The case of Germany

The National Biodiversity Strategies and Actions Plans (NBSAP), required by Article 6 of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, have been developed to make them meaningful as strategic instruments. One objective is to make the benefits of conservation more visible and build support for conservation activities. However, so far determining the benefits within the NBSAP has rarely taken place. This paper presents results from a nationwide contingent valuation study investigating the benefits of implementing a set of measures derived from the National Strategy on Biological Diversity (NBS) in Germany. Results from a survey employing the contingent valuation method interviewing more than 2300 people indicate that implementing the NBS would generate substantial benefits, ranging between €2.3 billion and €9.3 billion per year. Monetizing benefits arising from the strategy provide important information for policy makers, especially as biodiversity conservation will very likely face stronger competition with alternative land uses such as food or biomass production in the future. Comparing the benefits to the opportunity and management costs shows that implementing the NBS in Germany is economically sensible.

Impact of climate change on human health and health systems in Tanzania: a review.

Climate change (CC) has a number of immediate and long-term impacts on the fundamental determinants of human health. A number of potential human health effects have been associated either directly or indirectly with global climate change. Vulnerability to the risks associated with CC may exacerbate ongoing socio-economic challenges. The objective of this review was to analyse the potential risk and vulnerability in the context of climate-sensitive human diseases and health system in Tanzania. Climate sensitive vector- and waterborne diseases and other health related problems and the policies on climate adaptation in Tanzania during the past 50 years are reviewed. The review has shown that a number of climate-associated infectious disease epidemics have been reported in various areas of the country; mostly being associated with increase in precipitation and temperature. Although, there is no single policy document that specifically addresses issues of CC in the country, the National Environmental Management Act of 1997 recognizes the importance of CC and calls for the government to put up measures to address the phenomenon. A number of strategies and action plans related to CC are also in place. These include the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, the National Action Programme, and the National Bio-safety Framework. The government has put in place a National Climate Change Steering Committee and the National Climate Change Technical Committee to oversee and guide the implementation of CC activities in the country. Recognizing the adverse impacts of natural disasters and calamities, the government established a Disaster Management Division under the Prime Minister's Office. Epidemic Preparedness and Response Unit of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare is responsible for emergency preparedness, mostly disease outbreaks. However, specific climate changes associated with human health issues are poorly addressed in the MoHSW strategies and the national health research priorities. In conclusion, CC threatens to slow, halt or reverses the progress the country has made or is making to achieve its national and millennium development goals. It is therefore important that Tanzania prepares itself to appropriately address CC impact on human health. It is equally important that policy makers and other stakeholders are engaged in a process to update and adapt priorities, mobilize resources and build interdisciplinary research and implementation capacity on climate change and its mitigation.

Achieving the Goals of the Convention on Biological Diversity: National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans

Achieving the Goals of the Convention on Biological Diversity: National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans

Integration of biodiversity in soil quality monitoring: Baselines for microbial and soil fauna parameters for different land-use types

The French programme Réseau de Mesures de la Qualité des Sols – Biodiversité was carried out at a regional scale (Brittany, west part of France) i) to produce a first statement regarding soil biodiversity, ii) to identify bioindicators of anthropic constraints, and iii) to determine baseline values for several biological groups depending on land uses. In this study, 109 monitoring sites were investigated using a systematic framework (a 16 km × 16 km regular grid). Six biological groups were studied within four major categories, i.e., macrofauna (all soil macro-invertebrate taxa and earthworms), mesofauna (Acari and Collembola), microfauna (nematodes), and micro-organisms (microbial biomass and functional genes). The abundances of earthworms, nematodes, Acari and the bacterial community (assessed by their encoded 16S rRNA) as well as microbial biomass and earthworm species richness discriminate land uses (crops from meadows from forests). Macro-invertebrate abundance, Collembola abundance and richness, and nematode richness are only relevant for the discrimination of agricultural practices (e.g., management system or fertilisation intensity). Most of the soil biological groups (except Collembola) exhibit lower values of abundance and community richness in croplands than in meadows. This programme allows us to set up a first reference database for soil biological data for France covering microflora and fauna. This substantial reference database will be used to calibrate future research results and to develop management baseline values for stakeholders to assess the status of soil biodiversity under several policies, e.g., the Common Agricultural Policy, Soil Framework Directive, EU and national biodiversity strategies, and policies related to contaminated land management. Therefore it should assist stakeholders in the choice of good agricultural practices.

Reconciling policy with ecological requirements in biodiversity monitoring

Many of the breeding seabird populations in Britain and Ireland are of international importance; consequently, there is a statutory duty to protect these populations, as part of national biodiversity strategies and under Article 4 of the EU’s Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds (EC/79/409). As part of this process, populations have been monitored annually at a sample of colonies since the mid-1980s and (near) complete surveys have been undertaken twice. Results of this monitoring are currently reported regionally, in an effort to reflect the impact of spatially varying environmental drivers of change; however, there is concern that these regions reflect policy requirements rather than ecological relevance, particularly for mobile species. We used the monitoring data to identify a series of ecologically coherent regions in which trends in abundance and breeding success varied in a consistent fashion and examined how closely the annually sampled data matched the change quantified by the whole population surveys. The number of ecologically coherent regions identified varied from 2 for the northern gannet Morus bassanus and common guillemot Uria aalge to 7 for the great cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo. Trends imputed for ecologically coherent regions more closely matched those observed between whole population censuses and were more consistent than those identified for more policy-driven monitoring regions. By accounting for ecology in the design of monitoring regions, population variation in mobile species can be more accurately represented, leading to the design of more realistic monitoring regions.

Lois et règlements sur la faune sauvage à Madagascar : Progrès accomplis et besoins du futur

Les lois et règlements déterminant les niveaux de protection des espèces de la faune et de la flore sauvages sont des indicateurs importants de l’importance qu’accorde un pays à la conservation de sa biodiversité. Dans cette revue, nous évaluons la cohérence entre les lois et règlements portant sur la gestion de la faune sauvage à Madagascar, en considérant la législation nationale, les conventions internationales ratifiées et la Liste Rouge de l’UICN pour les confronter aux réalités locales. Suite à nos analyses, nous pouvons conclure que Madagascar dispose d’un cadre juridique adéquat pour réglementer la protection et l’exploitation des animaux sauvages. Cependant, des révisions et mises à jour sont nécessaires, particulièrement en ce qui concerne la liste des espèces dans les différentes catégories et la facilitation de la mise en application de la loi. In many countries wildlife species are threatened by hunting for meat or collection for the pet trade. Wildlife laws which control where these activities can occur, limit the timing of exploitation, or provide strict protection for some species are therefore an important component of the conservation strategy. However it is important that these wildlife laws reflect the ecology and threat status of the species concerned, and that they are aligned with any relevant international conventions. In this article we discuss the legal framework for exploiting and protecting tetrapod species in Madagascar. We review the 2006 update to wildlife legislation with respect to international treaties, other national legislation and the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. We also present a summary of the different categories of hunting (sport, commercial, scientific, and subsistence) and the control of hunting in protected areas. Madagascar has a sound legal framework for the use and protection of wildlife and the classification of species into protected, pest and legally hunted is clear and mostly fits well with the species’ classification according to the IUCN Red List and CITES. A revision of the protected species list managed is needed however to (i) include marine mammals that are protected by fisheries law and the Convention on Migratory Species and to (ii) better reflect the rights of people whose livelihoods rely heavily on the income or protein derived from hunting animals. Renewed effort to communicate and enforce wildlife legislation is needed, especially regarding the illegal hunting and export of protected species. This would also support the ongoing initiative to expand the protected area system and could be integrated into a revised National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan that Madagascar should produce for 2011 - 2020 as part of its commitment to implementing the Convention on Biological Diversity.