TYLER GRANGE BACKS COMMUNITY-LED RAINFOREST CONSERVATION IN MADAGASCAR
A Southwark-based environmental consultancy has expanded its international sustainability efforts through a new conservation partnership supporting rainforest restoration and community employment projects in Madagascar.
Tyler Grange, a B Corp-certified environmental consultancy operating a four-day working week model, has committed £10,000 towards community-led conservation initiatives delivered in partnership with Chester Zoo and Malagasy biodiversity organisation Madagasikara Voakajy.
The funding will support the operation of two community plant nurseries within the Mangabe Reserve in eastern Madagascar, helping restore degraded rainforest while creating stable employment opportunities across surrounding communities.
The initiative comes amid growing international concern over accelerating biodiversity loss and deforestation in Madagascar, where approximately 90 per cent of wildlife species are found nowhere else on Earth.
RESTORING A CRITICALLY ENDANGERED LANDSCAPE
Mangabe Reserve, a protected landscape spanning more than 27,000 hectares, was established in 2015 but has experienced severe environmental pressure in recent years.
More than 6,000 hectares of forest have reportedly been lost due to slash-and-burn agriculture, logging and charcoal production, contributing to mounting ecological risk across the region.
The restoration programme supported by Tyler Grange will help rehabilitate 20 hectares of land through a combination of natural forest regeneration and agroforestry projects designed to reduce long-term pressure on natural resources.
The nurseries are also expected to provide economic support for communities across ten villages, with more than 6,800 people relying directly on the surrounding landscape for food, materials and income.
For conservation groups operating in Madagascar, protecting biodiversity increasingly depends on creating sustainable economic alternatives for local communities living closest to vulnerable ecosystems.
Jon Berry, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Tyler Grange, said the project reflects the company’s wider environmental and social impact strategy beyond the UK.
“Communities in Mangabe rely on the forest for everyday life — from food to building materials,” he said.
“Supporting sustainable livelihoods is essential to protecting it.”
Berry said the partnership was focused on practical, locally driven conservation solutions capable of delivering both ecological and economic benefits.
“This partnership is about backing practical, community-led solutions to biodiversity loss and climate change,” he said.
“It reflects our commitment to creating positive environmental and social impact beyond the UK.”
BIODIVERSITY, CLIMATE AND COMMUNITY IMPACT
The funding package will cover salaries, operational costs and essential infrastructure for the nurseries, including tools, equipment and protective clothing required to maintain ongoing restoration work.
Charles Wheeler, Madagascar Project Manager at Chester Zoo, said the initiative would generate measurable outcomes across biodiversity protection, climate resilience and local livelihoods.
“We’re looking forward to seeing this partnership deliver measurable impact for biodiversity, communities, and climate,” he said.
“By protecting endangered species and habitats in Madagascar, we are actively contributing to a broader push to protect global biodiversity.”
Environmental organisations working in Madagascar have repeatedly warned that parts of the country’s rainforest ecosystems are approaching irreversible tipping points.
Francia Lauréa Samoelah, Communication Officer for Madagasikara Voakajy, said the Mangabe landscape now faces urgent environmental risk.
“The Mangabe landscape is classified as Critically Endangered, with significant forest loss in recent years,” she said.
“Without urgent action, its forest will be completely lost within 10 years, and vital ecosystem functions will collapse within three years.”
Samoelah added that environmental decline would have direct consequences not only for biodiversity but also for the long-term welfare of local populations.
“These losses affect both plant and animal biodiversity and the welfare of the people living in the area,” she said.
“This support from Tyler Grange enables us to protect the rainforest while working alongside local communities to build sustainable futures.”
GROWING CORPORATE FOCUS ON ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
The project also reflects a broader shift among UK businesses towards measurable environmental and social impact initiatives aligned with sustainability and biodiversity objectives.
Tyler Grange is a supporter of the Better Business Act, an accredited Living Wage Employer and a member of the Better Business Network.
The consultancy recently became a founding member of Myllium, a newly formed international network bringing together organisations focused on climate, nature and sustainable development.
As businesses face increasing scrutiny over environmental commitments and supply chain impact, partnerships combining conservation, climate resilience and community development are becoming a more visible component of corporate sustainability strategies.
