Madagascar is the fourth biggest Island in The World. Our country has specificity with his 80% endemics fauna and flora. There are many parks and nature reserves in Madagascar, among them Sahamaintsoanala.

Sahamaintsoanala means green area in the forest. Sahamaintsoanala is both an eco tourist and educational site located in Mandráka. It is a natural site nearest to the city of Antananarivo, located in the National Road 2 to 60km, spread over 32Ha. This site is managed by the Ecole Supérieure des Sciences Agronomiques (ESSA)-Eaux et Forêt.
As an educational site, "Sahamaintsoanala" constitutes an experimental zone. Several species are introduced and implanted in a well-defined area and are studied by researchers. The researchers focused on: Eucalyptus, Pinus, Cedrela odorata, Fraxinus udhei (introduced species, of origin of the United States and Mexico). In the course of time these plants have become acclimatized and then naturalized in the environment. Each species is placed in specific plots that allow them to develop well, and facilitate the study and follow-up carried out by researchers. This is one of the special features of this site. As a result, researchers are also interested in the cohabitation, relationship and mode of subsistence of these exotic plants with natural plants What constitutes phytosociology.

The  natural forests is  characterized by:

-the presence of various palm trees such as Ravenea madagascariensis (Anivona)

-the arrangement of the mismatched plants, that is to say they are not aligned but are distributed naturally and different species are in the same zone.

There is also a biotic control factor such as commensalism, such as the Vahy, climbing plants that need host trees to carry themselves, and epiphytes requiring hosts to provide them with organic matter and ensure their development and survival.

Other species live together in a well-defined plot such as:

 -Canarium madagascariensis (Ramy), planted on a plot of 650 m2

-Fraxinus udhei (Ash)

 -Eucalyptus, rough or smooth type. In the site, there are various planting plots of Eucalyptus

-Pinus, with its dissemination often of the anemochore type, this plant can disperse outside its plot (case of the pinus being with other species). And it is these pines outside the parcel that are cut to make the eco-tourism facilities.

-Cedrela odorata, originally implanted on defined plots, this plant also disperses outside its area of ​​implantation over time. Secondly, these Cedrela in the zones of existence of the other species will also be the sources of raw material for the manufacture of ecotouristic installations such as the trail and the forest bridges.

The specificity of the center is the contribution of the Local Basic Community (COBA) in the management of the forest. The center also promotes environmental education in the local community.

http://www.madagascar-tourisme.com/fr/a-faire-/nature