Rainforests of the Atsinanana

Published May 21, 2026

Quick Facts

Key details at a glance

Site Name: Rainforests of the Atsinanana
UNESCO reference number: 1257
Property Area: 4,796 km²
Universal Value: Ecological and evolutionary importance (Criterion ix) The Rainforests of the Atsinanana are relict blocks of Madagascar’s eastern humid forests, largely confined to steep slopes along the eastern escarpment and mountains. These forests have acted as refuges for species through past climate changes, preserving ecological processes such as soil formation, water regulation, and diverse plant–animal interactions that sustain Madagascar’s unique biota. They will continue to play a key role in species’ adaptation under future climate change, making them a fundamental laboratory for understanding island‑evolutionary dynamics. Biodiversity and endemism (Criterion x) The six national parks (Marojejy, Masoala, Zahamena, Ranomafana, Andringitra, and Andohahela) together protect a globally exceptional level of biodiversity, with an estimated 80–90% endemism for many plant and animal groups. They are a major refuge for endangered lemurs and other primates, as well as rare birds, reptiles, amphibians, and many endemic plant species, and are recognized as one of the most important sites for the conservation of Madagascar’s “megadiversity.” In summary, the Outstanding Universal Value of the Rainforests of the Atsinanana is that they are a serial World Heritage landscape where relict eastern rainforests preserve ongoing ecological processes and harbor an exceptionally rich, highly endemic biological heritage, crucial for both evolutionary science and global conservation.
Geography & Setting: Location and spatial layout The Rainforests of the Atsinanana form a serial World Heritage property made up of six national parks () distributed along the eastern part of Madagascar, stretching roughly from the northeast to the southeast of the island. These parks—Marojejy, Masoala, Zahamena, Ranomafana, Andringitra, and Andohahela—act as a chain of protected areas along the eastern escarpment and highlands, rather than as one single contiguous forest block. Landscape and climate context The site lies along Madagascar’s eastern humid belt, where steep mountain slopes and plateaus receive high rainfall and support dense, evergreen rainforest that grades from lowland to montane and, in the south, into transitional dry and spiny‑forest types. The island’s long isolation—more than 60–80 million years—has shaped a unique biogeography, and the Atsinanana rainforests sit on ancient, isolated landmass fragments that have driven high levels of plant and animal endemism. Regional and island‑wide role As relict forests confined largely to steeper terrain along the eastern escarpment, the six parks represent the last major surviving blocks of Madagascar’s eastern humid forests, embedded in a wider mosaic of highly threatened tropical ecosystems. They function as key watersheds and biodiversity refuges, linking coastal lowlands with the central highlands and forming a vital green backbone along Madagascar’s eastern side.
History & Story: Deep‑evolutionary time The Rainforests of the Atsinanana are part of Madagascar’s eastern humid forests, which have developed over a very long period after the island broke away from other land masses more than 60 million years ago. During this isolation, plants and animals evolved separately, producing a unique and highly endemic biota that the Atsinanana rainforests now represent. Earlier conservation groundwork Protection of these forests began long before World Heritage recognition: A network of 12 natural reserves was established in 1927. Madagascar then created the National Parks system by decree in 1958, with several of today’s Rainforests of the Atsinanana parks (including Masoala and others) formally designated as national parks over the following decades. Creation of the World Heritage property In 2007 the six parks (Marojejy, Masoala, Zahamena, Ranomafana, Andringitra, and Andohahela) were bundled into one serial World Heritage natural property: “Rainforests of the Atsinanana”, recognized for their ecological and biodiversity values. Between 2010 and 2025 the site was on the List of World Heritage in Danger due to threats from logging, mining, and hunting, but strengthened conservation efforts led to its removal from the Danger List in 2025, with improved forest‑cover and reduced illegal activity. Present‑day narrative Today the Rainforests of the Atsinanana embody the story of Madagascar’s evolutionary isolation and fragile tropical biodiversity, unfolding across a 1,600‑km‑long corridor of protected forests along the eastern side of the island. The six national parks together form a living scientific record of how forest ecosystems respond to both natural processes and human pressures, and they are central to Madagascar’s ongoing efforts to balance community needs, sustainable development, and global‑level conservation
Legal protection & management: Legal‑protection framework The Rainforests of the Atsinanana are a serial World Heritage natural property comprising six national parks—Marojejy, Masoala, Zahamena, Ranomafana, Andringitra, and Andohahela—all of which are formally protected as national parks under Malagasy law. Madagascar adopted a Protected Area Management Code (2001) that sets the national‑level legal basis for conserving these forests, and key timber species (notably rosewood and palissandre) are further protected under CITES, which strictly regulates international trade and has effectively banned exports from Madagascar over the last decade. Management structure and plans The six parks are managed by Madagascar National Parks (Madagascar National Parks, formerly ANP), with each component having its own management plan, yet they are expected to be coordinated as a single, serial World Heritage property. UNESCO and partner organizations have supported targeted projects (especially in Masoala and Marojejy) to strengthen surveillance, improve ranger infrastructure, and build awareness among local communities and authorities. Key ongoing issues Although appropriate laws and management plans are in place, UNESCO and independent reviews highlight that implementation has been weak, particularly regarding illegal logging, hunting, and gem‑mining within and around the parks. Agricultural encroachment and local dependence on forest resources continue to press on the reserves, and the management agency is often under‑resourced and constrained by limited political will. However, since the property was removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger in 2025, reports indicate improved enforcement, reduced illegal logging of priority species, and better‑coordinated conservation efforts.
Visitor experience: How visitors use the site The Rainforests of the Atsinanana are experienced park by park, not as a single, continuous forest. Each of the six components—Marojejy, Masoala, Zahamena, Ranomafana, Andringitra, and Andohahela—has its own entrance, ranger station, and trail system, and visitors usually focus on one or two parks within a longer Madagascar itinerary. Most access is by 4x4 or guided‑tour vehicles combined with hiking, often arranged through national‑park offices or local‑guide operators. Typical on‑the‑ground experience Inside the parks, visitors walk on forested trails and boardwalks that pass through dense, humid rainforest, sometimes climbing to viewpoints over mist‑shrouded valleys and waterfalls. The experience is characterized by birdsong, chameleons, frogs, orchids, and above all lemurs, several of which are endemic to the Atsinanana forests (for example indri, silky sifaka, and bamboo lemurs). Accommodation is usually basic guesthouses or lodges near park boundaries, and stays are often multi‑day, allowing for early‑morning and late‑afternoon wildlife spotting when animal activity peaks. Level of visitation and atmosphere Current visitor pressure on the Atsinanana rainforests is relatively low to moderate, concentrated in the more accessible parks such as Ranomafana and parts of Masoala, while others like Zahamena and Andringitra remain much quieter. Tour‑operators and conservation bodies emphasize that unmanaged tourism growth could strain the ecosystem, so the prevailing experience is of remote, somewhat wild rainforest rather than a crowded destination, with simple facilities and a strong emphasis on guided, low‑impact, eco‑oriented visitation.

Heritage significance

Ecological and evolutionary significance#

The Rainforests of the Atsinanana are relict forests along Madagascar’s eastern escarpment and mountains, representing the last major remnants of the island’s once‑vast eastern humid forests. These forests have served as refuges for species during past climate changes and are now critically important for maintaining the ongoing ecological processes that sustain Madagascar’s unique biodiversity, including soil formation, water cycling, and complex plant–animal interactions.

Biodiversity and endemism#

The six national parks (Marojejy, Masoala, Zahamena, Ranomafana, Andringitra, and Andohahela) together harbor globally outstanding biodiversity, with an estimated 80–90% endemism for many plant and animal groups and many endemic families and genera. The site protects a large share of Madagascar’s mammals, including 25 species of lemur and many other threatened primates, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and plants, making it a cornerstone of Madagascar’s “megadiversity” and a globally significant stronghold for island‑endemic life.

Symbolic and global conservation value#

By preserving this chain of rainforest blocks along 1,600 km of eastern Madagascar, the property embodies the story of the island’s 60–80 million years of isolation and the extraordinary evolutionary pathway that has produced its endemic biota. At the same time, the Rainforests of the Atsinanana have become a global benchmark for tropical‑forest conservation, illustrating both the severe threats of deforestation and the positive impact of coordinated national and international protection efforts.

Current Status

World Heritage‑status context#

The Rainforests of the Atsinanana remain a serial World Heritage natural property comprising six national parks—Marojejy, Masoala, Zahamena, Ranomafana, Andringitra, and Andohahela—inscribed in 2007 for their exceptional biodiversity and ongoing ecological processes. The site was placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger in 2010 due to severe threats from illegal logging, mining, and hunting, but in 2025 it was removed from the Danger List after Madagascar and international partners strengthened conservation measures.

Ecological and protection status#

Recent assessments indicate that about 63% of degraded forest cover has been restored and that illegal logging and lemur poaching are at their lowest levels in a decade, signaling a clear improvement in the site’s ecological condition. However, the six parks still face ongoing pressures from agricultural encroachment, small‑scale logging, and local resource use, and Madagascar’s national‑park agency remains financially and logistically constrained, requiring continued external support.

Management and outlook#

The property is managed by Madagascar National Parks (Madagascar National Parks), with each component having its own management plan, and is supported by UNESCO‑linked projects that focus on surveillance, community engagement, and restoration in the most threatened sectors. Overall, the Rainforests of the Atsinanana are in a recovering but still fragile state: no longer judged “in danger” at the global level, yet demanding sustained investment and governance to lock in the gains in forest cover and species protection.

Challenges & conservation

Main challenges#

Agricultural encroachment and resource use

Around the six parks the pressure for farmland and wood drives slash‑and‑burn agriculture, small‑scale logging, and charcoal‑making, especially near the coastal and lowland edges of the forest blocks. In places like Andohahela, water scarcity forces communities to rely on forest‑linked activities, exacerbating clearance and erosion.

Illegal logging and wildlife exploitation

The Rainforests of the Atsinanana have long faced illegal logging (notably of rosewood and palissandre) and hunting/lemur poaching, which targeted rare and threatened species and damaged forest structure. Although these activities have declined in the last decade, they remain a latent risk whenever enforcement weakens or market demand spikes.

Mining and management‑capacity limits

Gem‑mining and related infrastructure projects around some parks threaten habitat fragmentation and pollution. At the same time, Madagascar National Parks suffers from limited staffing, funding, and equipment, making it difficult to patrol the large, remote areas effectively or coordinate the six components as a single serial property.

Conservation measures and progress#

Legal and international support

All six components are formally protected as national parks, with management plans already in place, and key timber species are regulated under CITES, which has drastically reduced legal exports and helped cut illegal flows. The site’s former inscription on the List of World Heritage in Danger (2010–2025) mobilized international funding and technical support, including the BIOCOM project led by UNESCO, which strengthened protection and local engagement.

Restoration and community‑based projects#

Since 2010, about 63% of degraded forest cover has been restored, and both illegal logging and lemur poaching have fallen to their lowest levels in a decade, reflecting the impact of re‑enforced patrols and community involvement. Programs such as water‑infrastructure and irrigation projects (e.g., small dams and expanded farmland near Andohahela) have helped local households shift away from forest‑destructive livelihoods.

Livelihood‑diversification and capacity‑building

Over 550 local residents have received vocational training in trades such as construction, fish farming, ecotourism, basketry, and guiding, giving them alternatives to illegal logging and slash‑and‑burn. This approach turns local communities into “central players” in conservation, aligning World Heritage‑level protection with poverty‑reduction and youth‑employment goals.

References

1
Madagascar’s Rainforests of the Atsinanana removed from UNESCO List of World Heritage in Danger
unesco.org
www.unesco.org
Accessed May 21, 2026
2
Rainforests of the Atsinanana
naturalworldheritagesites.org
www.naturalworldheritagesites.org
Accessed May 21, 2026
3
Support for the Atsinanana tropical rainforests conservation and management (Eastern Madagascar)
fapbm.org
www.fapbm.org
Accessed May 21, 2026

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Rainforests of the Atsinanana | Dawanpedia | Dawan Africa

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Rainforests of the Atsinanana

Published May 21, 2026

Quick Facts

Key details at a glance

Site Name: Rainforests of the Atsinanana
UNESCO reference number: 1257
Property Area: 4,796 km²
Universal Value: Ecological and evolutionary importance (Criterion ix) The Rainforests of the Atsinanana are relict blocks of Madagascar’s eastern humid forests, largely confined to steep slopes along the eastern escarpment and mountains. These forests have acted as refuges for species through past climate changes, preserving ecological processes such as soil formation, water regulation, and diverse plant–animal interactions that sustain Madagascar’s unique biota. They will continue to play a key role in species’ adaptation under future climate change, making them a fundamental laboratory for understanding island‑evolutionary dynamics. Biodiversity and endemism (Criterion x) The six national parks (Marojejy, Masoala, Zahamena, Ranomafana, Andringitra, and Andohahela) together protect a globally exceptional level of biodiversity, with an estimated 80–90% endemism for many plant and animal groups. They are a major refuge for endangered lemurs and other primates, as well as rare birds, reptiles, amphibians, and many endemic plant species, and are recognized as one of the most important sites for the conservation of Madagascar’s “megadiversity.” In summary, the Outstanding Universal Value of the Rainforests of the Atsinanana is that they are a serial World Heritage landscape where relict eastern rainforests preserve ongoing ecological processes and harbor an exceptionally rich, highly endemic biological heritage, crucial for both evolutionary science and global conservation.
Geography & Setting: Location and spatial layout The Rainforests of the Atsinanana form a serial World Heritage property made up of six national parks () distributed along the eastern part of Madagascar, stretching roughly from the northeast to the southeast of the island. These parks—Marojejy, Masoala, Zahamena, Ranomafana, Andringitra, and Andohahela—act as a chain of protected areas along the eastern escarpment and highlands, rather than as one single contiguous forest block. Landscape and climate context The site lies along Madagascar’s eastern humid belt, where steep mountain slopes and plateaus receive high rainfall and support dense, evergreen rainforest that grades from lowland to montane and, in the south, into transitional dry and spiny‑forest types. The island’s long isolation—more than 60–80 million years—has shaped a unique biogeography, and the Atsinanana rainforests sit on ancient, isolated landmass fragments that have driven high levels of plant and animal endemism. Regional and island‑wide role As relict forests confined largely to steeper terrain along the eastern escarpment, the six parks represent the last major surviving blocks of Madagascar’s eastern humid forests, embedded in a wider mosaic of highly threatened tropical ecosystems. They function as key watersheds and biodiversity refuges, linking coastal lowlands with the central highlands and forming a vital green backbone along Madagascar’s eastern side.
History & Story: Deep‑evolutionary time The Rainforests of the Atsinanana are part of Madagascar’s eastern humid forests, which have developed over a very long period after the island broke away from other land masses more than 60 million years ago. During this isolation, plants and animals evolved separately, producing a unique and highly endemic biota that the Atsinanana rainforests now represent. Earlier conservation groundwork Protection of these forests began long before World Heritage recognition: A network of 12 natural reserves was established in 1927. Madagascar then created the National Parks system by decree in 1958, with several of today’s Rainforests of the Atsinanana parks (including Masoala and others) formally designated as national parks over the following decades. Creation of the World Heritage property In 2007 the six parks (Marojejy, Masoala, Zahamena, Ranomafana, Andringitra, and Andohahela) were bundled into one serial World Heritage natural property: “Rainforests of the Atsinanana”, recognized for their ecological and biodiversity values. Between 2010 and 2025 the site was on the List of World Heritage in Danger due to threats from logging, mining, and hunting, but strengthened conservation efforts led to its removal from the Danger List in 2025, with improved forest‑cover and reduced illegal activity. Present‑day narrative Today the Rainforests of the Atsinanana embody the story of Madagascar’s evolutionary isolation and fragile tropical biodiversity, unfolding across a 1,600‑km‑long corridor of protected forests along the eastern side of the island. The six national parks together form a living scientific record of how forest ecosystems respond to both natural processes and human pressures, and they are central to Madagascar’s ongoing efforts to balance community needs, sustainable development, and global‑level conservation
Legal protection & management: Legal‑protection framework The Rainforests of the Atsinanana are a serial World Heritage natural property comprising six national parks—Marojejy, Masoala, Zahamena, Ranomafana, Andringitra, and Andohahela—all of which are formally protected as national parks under Malagasy law. Madagascar adopted a Protected Area Management Code (2001) that sets the national‑level legal basis for conserving these forests, and key timber species (notably rosewood and palissandre) are further protected under CITES, which strictly regulates international trade and has effectively banned exports from Madagascar over the last decade. Management structure and plans The six parks are managed by Madagascar National Parks (Madagascar National Parks, formerly ANP), with each component having its own management plan, yet they are expected to be coordinated as a single, serial World Heritage property. UNESCO and partner organizations have supported targeted projects (especially in Masoala and Marojejy) to strengthen surveillance, improve ranger infrastructure, and build awareness among local communities and authorities. Key ongoing issues Although appropriate laws and management plans are in place, UNESCO and independent reviews highlight that implementation has been weak, particularly regarding illegal logging, hunting, and gem‑mining within and around the parks. Agricultural encroachment and local dependence on forest resources continue to press on the reserves, and the management agency is often under‑resourced and constrained by limited political will. However, since the property was removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger in 2025, reports indicate improved enforcement, reduced illegal logging of priority species, and better‑coordinated conservation efforts.
Visitor experience: How visitors use the site The Rainforests of the Atsinanana are experienced park by park, not as a single, continuous forest. Each of the six components—Marojejy, Masoala, Zahamena, Ranomafana, Andringitra, and Andohahela—has its own entrance, ranger station, and trail system, and visitors usually focus on one or two parks within a longer Madagascar itinerary. Most access is by 4x4 or guided‑tour vehicles combined with hiking, often arranged through national‑park offices or local‑guide operators. Typical on‑the‑ground experience Inside the parks, visitors walk on forested trails and boardwalks that pass through dense, humid rainforest, sometimes climbing to viewpoints over mist‑shrouded valleys and waterfalls. The experience is characterized by birdsong, chameleons, frogs, orchids, and above all lemurs, several of which are endemic to the Atsinanana forests (for example indri, silky sifaka, and bamboo lemurs). Accommodation is usually basic guesthouses or lodges near park boundaries, and stays are often multi‑day, allowing for early‑morning and late‑afternoon wildlife spotting when animal activity peaks. Level of visitation and atmosphere Current visitor pressure on the Atsinanana rainforests is relatively low to moderate, concentrated in the more accessible parks such as Ranomafana and parts of Masoala, while others like Zahamena and Andringitra remain much quieter. Tour‑operators and conservation bodies emphasize that unmanaged tourism growth could strain the ecosystem, so the prevailing experience is of remote, somewhat wild rainforest rather than a crowded destination, with simple facilities and a strong emphasis on guided, low‑impact, eco‑oriented visitation.

Challenges & conservation