The new forest

Local people do the planting. They clear the weeds, fertilise the soil and bring back the local species the forest had lost.

See the species planted

Long beds of potted seedlings sheltered under straw shade covers on a hillside

Specimen: Setting up the nursery in the rural commune of Manamisoa
Loc.: Commune rurale de Manamisoa
Date: 2025
Note: Source: Report Jul–Dec 2025

The advance of the new forest

Reforestation relies on local residents: clearing weeds, fertilising the soil, planting the local species being reintroduced.

The project supervisor sends Favini detailed reports on seeding and planting, the creation of community plots and ecotourism, together with a financial account.

With Voiala, Sahavondronina and other communities have taken back control of their land.

How a plot is planted

Clear the weeds.
Fertilise the soil.
Plant the local species being reintroduced.

Young seedlings in black pots in front of a label reading “Canarium madagascariense, Burseraceae family, local name Ramy”

75ha

No. 150,000trees

Specimen: Ramy seedlings (Canarium madagascariense), a native tree species, in the nursery
Note: 75 ha of forest restored thanks to the Voiala project ; 150,000 trees planted through the Voiala project. Source: Favini

The 2025 nurseries

This year, three geolocated community nurseries are preparing the next planting season, in close collaboration with ADES.

Residents, especially young people, were trained in participatory planning and nursery management. Local associations received the same training.

The nurseries supply young forest trees, bamboo and fruit trees for reforestation and for green spaces in the villages.

Pots filled per siteNumber of pots (planting bags) filled with soil per nursery site, 2025.
Site	Number
Manamisoa	32,500
Sahavondronina	19,439
Ambatolahitelo	2,400
Total	54,339

Young plants per nurseryYoung plants pricked out per nursery, end of 2025.
Site	Number
Manamisoa	20,750
Androy	22,471
Total	43,221

3nurseries

No. 54,339pots

No. 43,221young plants

Specimen: The 2025 nurseries
Loc.: Manamisoa · Sahavondronina · Ambatolahitelo
Date: 2025
Note: The type of bag depends on the species and the area. Source: Report Jul–Dec 2025

From seed to young plant

Preparing the seeds

Growing your own seedlings means more species to choose from, full control from seed to plant, and low cost. It takes suitable containers and, above all, good seed compost that holds the moisture and warmth each seed needs to germinate.

Depending on the species, seeds are soaked in hot or cold water, hulled or stratified, then broadcast on a seedbed or sown straight into pots.

Pink bucket filled with small brown seeds being pre-treated

Green basin filled with large glossy black seeds being pre-treated

Specimen: Seed treatment
Date: Oct–Dec 2025
Note: Source: Report Jul–Dec 2025

Seeds prepared in the Sahavondronina and Manamisoa nurseries, October–December 2025.
Vernacular name	Scientific name	Status	Quantity (g)	Pre-treatment	Sowing method	Sowing date
Kininina	Eucalyptus robusta	Exotic	1,000	not given	Broadcast on seedbed	Oct 2025
Akasia	Acacia mangium	Exotic	1,000	Soaked in hot water	Broadcast on seedbed	Oct 2025
Tsetoy	Dodonaea madagascariensis	Native	500	not given	Broadcast on seedbed	Nov 2025
Tapia	Uapaca bojeri	Native	1,000	Hulled	Sown directly in pots	Nov 2025
Hintsy / Tsararavina	Intsia bijuga	Native	1,000	Soaked in cold water, 24 h	Sown on seedbed	Dec 2025
Anakaraka	Cordyla madagascariensis	Native	500	Soaked in cold water, 24 h	Sown on seedbed	Dec 2025
Mentaly	Terminalia mentaly	Native	500	Soaked in cold water, 72 h	Sown on seedbed	Dec 2025
Harongana	Harungana madagascariensis	Native	500	Soaked in cold water, 24 h	Broadcast on seedbed	Dec 2025
Manga	Mangifera indica	Exotic	not given	Cleaned, hulled	Sown directly in pots	Dec 2025
Paiso	Prunus persica	Exotic	not given	Cleaned, stratified	Sown directly in pots	Dec 2025

Source: Report Jul–Dec 2025

Filling the pots

For the new campaign, 54,339 pots (planting bags) were filled with soil and closed at the three sites. The bag used varies with the species and the area.

Blocks of hundreds of black soil-filled planting bags laid on red earth, trees and hills behind

Specimen: Filling pots to prepare the young seedlings
Date: 2025
Note: Source: Report Jul–Dec 2025

Transplanting the young plants

From these seedlings, 43,221 young plants of native and exotic species were transplanted in the Voiala nurseries. Many are not ready yet: they need more time to grow.

Two ways to do it

Collect young shoots that have already sprouted in the forest.
Sow on a seedbed, then move each seedling into a soil-filled bag once it has about four leaves.

Dense bed of young green eucalyptus seedlings in black pots, seen from above

Specimen: Eucalyptus seedlings in the Manamisoa nursery, 2025-2026 season
Loc.: Pépinière de Manamisoa
Note: Source: Report Jul–Dec 2025

A herbarium of the species planted

Eight trees planted with Voiala, each on its own sheet: family, size, wood, known uses.

Dalbergia baroniiMiholy
Hard, heavy, dark brown wood that resists termites and fungi.
Use Furniture and woodturning.
276young plants in the nursery, 2025
Scientific name
Dalbergia baronii
Fam.
Fabaceae
Loc.
Sahavondronina
Leg.
communities of Sahavondronina
Herb.
K001991369, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Lic.
CC BY 4.0
Phyllarthron articulatum
A tree of 20 to 25 metres with yellow fruit. Once dried, the fruit turns brown and has the texture and taste of dried banana.
Scientific name
Phyllarthron articulatum
Fam.
Bignoniaceae
Loc.
Sahavondronina
Leg.
communities of Sahavondronina
Herb.
K005600995, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Lic.
CC BY 4.0
Canarium madagascariense
Can reach 40 to 50 metres. It plays an important part in enriching degraded soil.
Use Its wood is used to build pirogues (dugout canoes), its seeds are edible and the resin from its bark has a distinctive scent.
Scientific name
Canarium madagascariense
Fam.
Burseraceae
Loc.
Sahavondronina
Leg.
communities of Sahavondronina
Herb.
K002220290, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Lic.
CC BY 4.0
Acacia mangiumAkasia
Up to 30 metres. It grows fast and fixes nitrogen from the air, so it copes well with bare, nitrogen-poor soil.
9,500young plants in the nursery, 2025
Scientific name
Acacia mangium
Loc.
Sahavondronina
Leg.
communities of Sahavondronina
Herb.
K001898742, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Lic.
CC BY 4.0
Albizia gummiferaHerse
Medium-density wood, very strong, that keeps its shape. Easy to work, but not resistant to termites or water.
Use General-purpose wood: beehives, troughs and boats.
60young plants in the nursery, 2025
Scientific name
Albizia gummifera
Loc.
Sahavondronina
Leg.
communities of Sahavondronina
Herb.
K000952239, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Lic.
CC BY 4.0
Moringa oleifera
A fast-growing tree that can reach 10 to 12 metres.
Scientific name
Moringa oleifera
Fam.
Moringaceae
Loc.
Sahavondronina
Leg.
communities of Sahavondronina
Herb.
K001992719, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Lic.
CC BY 4.0
Coffea robustaKafe
A plant less vulnerable to pests, disease and sudden changes in temperature.
432young plants in the nursery, 2025
Scientific name
Coffea robusta
Fam.
Rubiaceae
Loc.
Sahavondronina
Leg.
communities of Sahavondronina
Herb.
K000198315, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Lic.
CC BY 4.0
Podocarpus madagascariensis
An evergreen tree, usually 4 to 13 metres tall.
Use Its timber is widely used locally.
Scientific name
Podocarpus madagascariensis
Loc.
Sahavondronina
Leg.
communities of Sahavondronina
Herb.
K001635352, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Lic.
CC BY 4.0

Source: Favini. Stamps (young plants in the nursery, 2025): Report Jul–Dec 2025.

Digitised sheets: herbarium of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K), via GBIF, licence CC BY 4.0. They are reference specimens of each species collected elsewhere, not Voiala collections; each sheet’s number is on its label (Herb.).

Species in the 2025 nurseries

Twenty-four species raised in the nurseries, with their Malagasy names and the number of young plants at the end of 2025.

Young plants in the nurseries by site and species, 2025.
Vernacular name	Scientific name	Status	Number
Manamisoa nursery
Kininina	Eucalyptus robusta	Exotic	10,000
Akasia	Acacia mangium	Exotic	9,500
Tsetoy	Dodonaea madagascariensis	Native	500
Tapia	Uapaca bojeri	Native	250
Hintsy / Tsararavina	Intsia bijuga	Native	250
Anakaraka	Cordyla madagascariensis	Native	250
Mentaly	Terminalia mentaly	Native	0
Harongana	Harungana madagascariensis	Native	0
Subtotal · Manamisoa			20,750
Androy nursery
Manga	Mangifera indica	Exotic	250
Paiso	Prunus persica	Exotic	300
Zamborizany	Eugenia jambos	Native	2,243
Fandramanana	Aphloia theiformis	Native	6,689
Tavolo	Cryptocarya sp.	Native	2,677
Tsingotroka	Dichaetanthera oblongifolia	Native	1,377
Herse	Albizia gummifera	Native	60
Hazomena	Diospyros gracilipes	Native	455
Rotra	Syzygium sp.	Native	2,309
Voananananamboa	Chassalia ternifolia	Native	1,720
Bamboo	not given	Native	2,500
Lambinana	Nuxia capitata	Native	558
Frêne (ash)	Fraxinus uhdei	Native	65
Kafe	Coffea robusta	Native	432
Hasina	Dracaena reflexa	Native	560
Miholy	Dalbergia baronii	Native	276
Subtotal · Androy			22,471
Total			43,221

Status (native or exotic) as given in the report.

Manamisoa — Mentaly and Harongana, sown in December 2025, have no transplanted plants yet.

Androy — Sixteen species, mostly native.

Source: Report Jul–Dec 2025

Back the villages that replant

Support the project See what the communities do

The new forest

The advance of the new forest

How a plot is planted

The 2025 nurseries

From seed to young plant

Preparing the seeds

Filling the pots

Transplanting the young plants

Two ways to do it

A herbarium of the species planted

Dalbergia baroniiMiholy

Phyllarthron articulatum

Canarium madagascariense

Acacia mangiumAkasia

Albizia gummiferaHerse

Moringa oleifera

Coffea robustaKafe

Podocarpus madagascariensis

Species in the 2025 nurseries

Back the villages that replant